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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23352904">Loving Is A Journey</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Velvethope/pseuds/Velvethope'>Velvethope</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, H/G - Freeform, Marriage, Moments, One-Shot, Romance, Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:02:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,175</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23352904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Velvethope/pseuds/Velvethope</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of one-shots, designed to explore Harry and Ginny’s life together. Consider these scenes from a marriage - a life in progress. There will be fluff, angst and possibly more, but they will all contain loving.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>H/G, Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, Hinny - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Names Of Birds & Other Things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For DeadWoodPecker -</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Names of Birds &amp; Other Things:</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry packed the picnic basket with care. He wanted everything to be perfect for the surprise birthday celebration he had planned for Ginny. It was August 11<sup>th</sup>, and the weather, for once, was accommodating him. There had been a bit of a heatwave through their part of England the last few weeks, but today was cool and cloudy, with a gentle breeze. Harry was hoping this meant that the heatwave was over, and autumn would soon be returning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But not before he and Ginny got to have one last hurrah in the summer sun, he hoped. She had been away from home a lot, training with the Holyhead Harpies. And he’d been away, himself, busy with work. Thank Merlin they lived together, or Harry would never get to see his wife.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But today, today was the day. He had asked Molly for recipes of all of Ginny’s favorite summertime foods and painstakingly made them at the Burrow so that his wife wouldn't cotton on to what he was doing. Ron had even helped with baking some fresh blackberry and custard tarts for him. Harry had the tarts, some chicken salad sandwiches, tarragon and salmon sandwiches, and different cheeses with cream crackers. He had also made some pork pies that Molly had insisted were her ‘little girl’s favorite’.  A couple bottles of Butterbeer, and of course, some chocolate cake for the birthday girl.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He also had a thermos of hot coffee he’d brewed nice and strong, just the way his wife liked it. Harry was a milk and sugar man himself, but he knew Ginny said she liked it hot and black. <em>Just like his hair.</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Harry smirked to himself and then looked at the clock by the door. It resembled the one at the Burrow, only this one just showed Harry and Ginny. Ginny's was pointed to "Quidditch," but he knew she was due to get home at any moment. She'd just had to go in for a quick team meeting, and then she had promised him she would be all his. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He ran upstairs and grabbed their favorite blanket from the bed, shrinking it down so that it fit in his pocket. He ran a hand nervously through his hair as he heard the downstairs door slam.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Harry! I’m home!” Ginny called out, and he stuck his head outside the bedroom door.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ll be right down,” Harry answered, and then went to the side table by the bed, where he had hidden her gift. He shrunk that down as well and smiled to himself. He hoped she liked it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry came down the stairs and saw his wife, looking remarkably fit and wind-blown from her broom-ride home. As always, the familiar swooping motion of his stomach made him pause as a soft growl was heard from the monster in his chest. Harry and Ginny had been together for a few years now, but his chest monster still acted as though it was the very first time. He smiled as he went to her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hello, wife,” Harry said as he pulled her into his arms. She'd been peeking into the picnic basket, and he wanted to distract her. He kissed her soundly, and she moaned softly at the back of her throat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Well, well," Ginny said as she pulled away. "Hello to you too, husband. Is this for us?" She nodded down at the basket. "Is this the surprise you've been telling me about? You cooked? And made it so we don't muss the house at all, and I'm not stuck cleaning up after my own birthday party?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry pursed his lips at his wife’s gentle reminder that her last birthday surprise had not been a smashing success. He'd thrown a massive party for her at their house and had then been called away to work at the last minute. Unfortunately that had meant leaving Ginny with a full house of drunk family members and a huge mess afterward. It hadn't been his best moment as a husband, Harry had to admit. That's why this year, he was making it low-key. And all about Ginny.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You and me, Mrs Potter, are going to escape to the countryside and enjoy a nice, stress-free lunch with a lot of snogging and possibly more if the birthday girl plays her cards right," he said, twitching his eyebrows suggestively at her. She laughed and threw her head back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, do tell. Are there treats?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course, Ginny. I’m gonna be there, after all.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny snorted. “Of course, Harry. Well, come on, then. Where are we going?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry smiled at her. “Think you can keep up with me? I’ve been told I’m pretty quick on a broom.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny wrapped her arms around his shoulders, nuzzling her nose against his neck. “Yes, but out of the two of us, I’m the actual professional Quidditch player. I’ve got…<em>skills</em>." Ginny's voice went lower on the last word, and Harry felt his body respond. Perhaps going somewhere was overrated, after all. He could just carry her upstairs and throw her on the bed, come to think of it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny laughed when she saw his expression. “So eager. No, you are not getting out of it that easily. Come on, I deserve a picnic with my husband on my birthday.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Too right, but I reserve the right to continue things after.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course. As if I’d let my birthday go by without a fantastic shag,” Ginny said playfully. She moved her hand down his front, her hand grazing what was already his burgeoning excitement, squeezing him. Harry sucked in a deep breath, his eyes drawn to her lips.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then stop man-handling me and let me get on my broom before it’s too painful for us to go anywhere,” he said, pointedly. Ginny grinned and pulled her hand away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Lead on, Potter. And don’t worry about me not keeping up; I can fly rings around you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry laughed, shrunk down their picnic supplies, and they moved outside to where their brooms rested against the inside door. Ginny grabbed her Starsweeper 4, and Harry reached for his Firebolt. Not the one he’d had from school, of course, but a later model. He still enjoyed their brooms the best.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ready?” He asked as they slipped their gloves on, and Ginny pulled her Quidditch goggles out of her pocket. Harry cast an Impervious Spell on his glasses, just in case, and then adjusted it so they would stay on his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Without waiting for her to acknowledge his question, Harry kicked off from the ground and felt his heart soar as it always did. He had not flown in a few weeks, and it still felt like coming home to an old friend whenever he did. He knew Ginny was right behind him and decided to teach her a lesson. After all, what else was a birthday good for if not for learning something new?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With just a slight press of his hand, his Firebolt took off, streaking across the sky in a glorious rush. He led them up higher and higher until the earth below them looked like a giant green blur. He glanced behind him and was unsurprised to see Ginny at his heels, a giant smile on her face. He turned back around and then tilted his broom down, pushing it even faster. When he leveled out, Ginny pulled up alongside him, and smirked at him. Harry felt the cooling summer air on his skin and the push of the wind at his back and felt thrilled that he could share this with her. There was no else who quite got him like Ginny did – in every single way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They flew side by side, and Harry slowed his broom down until they were gently flying together, perfectly in sync. He leaned over and kissed her cheek as she wrapped her arm through his. They had long ago mastered the art of couple-flying, as Ron liked to call it, whenever they did this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Told you I could keep up,” Ginny said, laughing in his ear. Harry winked at her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"That you did, but I also wasn't trying to actually lose you. It wouldn't do to go on this picnic by myself now, would it?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, I guess not. Where are we going?” Ginny said, looking around to determine where they were.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry nodded to something they could just make out on the horizon. “See that blob of red in the distance?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny looked and nodded. “Race me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before Harry could even agree, she took off, and he swore. With a slight push, his Firebolt followed her, but Ginny was too good a flier to get overtaken that easy. Harry had to admire his wife’s skill as she lengthened her lead. Her broom wasn’t faster than his, but she was making it look as though it easily was. Digging in, he aimed for the space ahead of her and pushed himself and the broom faster. Ginny swerved and dodged, moving gracefully on the wind. Harry shook his head at her and couldn’t help but laugh. She was bloody brilliant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They came upon the farmhouse as he finally pulled alongside her and nodded at her to head down. They both landed gracefully and looked around. Ginny smiled at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I reckon we’ll call that one a draw. Who’s place is this?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A mate at work loaned it to me for the day. It’s his family’s strawberry farm. We’re all alone, and there's water. A nice pond fit for swimming just over that hill.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny brown eyes filled with mischief. “Oh, really? Can we go skinny-dipping later? I may need to cool off after watching your moves in the air, Harry.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I know what you mean,” Harry said, grabbing her around the waist. “I forgot just how good you are on a broom, Gin. Made me realize it’d been a while since I’d seen you in action.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny kissed him, and Harry's body responded. He didn't think he would ever get over her. Not that Harry wanted to. No, she was his, and he was hers and good god, he liked it that way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Come on, I'm starving," Ginny said, her eyes traveling downward. She looked back up at him. "The faster we eat, the faster we can…do <em>things</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry chuckled as they joined hands, and he started leading her toward the large sycamore tree where he had decided they would eat their lunch. It was the shadiest spot and offered a lovely view of the pond and the surrounding area.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do things? Why, Mrs Potter, are you saying you’re going to have your way with me out here in the wilds of Dorset?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you play your cards, right, I suppose. It depends on what you got me for my birthday, Harry. I’m not quite that easy, you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They found a sweet spot under the tree, and Harry re-enlarged everything, spreading their blanket underneath them. Ginny removed her gloves and then kicked off her shoes, wiggling her toes at him. She lay back, her hands above her head, and watched him set the food out. She took one of the Butterbeers he handed her and took a long drink. He smirked at her, and then they started eating. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nice job on the pork pies, love. Mum’s recipe?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry nodded. “And I made everything myself too, except the tarts. Those are from Ron.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"They're good," Ginny said, licking her fingers. "My brother is a git, but he sure can bake."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry shook his head and lay down next to her. She finished her tart and joined him. He brushed her hair off of her face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, is this birthday better than the last?” He asked her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Definitely. No George getting pissed and trying to fight Percy, and no Mum singing aloud to Celestina Warbeck on the wireless. Just me and you is the best way to spend this day.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then I’m glad I thought of it,” Harry said, kissing her. They were soon moving together on the blanket, pushing food and plates out of the way. Ginny turned them so that she was on top and smiled down at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are we really alone here?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry stared up at her, feeling breathless. “Yeah. I cast a few spells to make sure no one bothered us.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Shame," Ginny said, moving her hand down his chest. Her warm brown eyes flashed at him. “I think I kind of like the idea of getting caught with you. Some wayward farmer walking around the fields and he spies us, making love. And he can't help it, but he watches us." She lowered her head down to his and kissed him, pushing her tongue into his mouth. Harry felt his heartbeat speed up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I never knew you had such voyeuristic tendencies, Gin,” Harry said, his hand straying up under her shirt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny threw her head back and laughed. She smiled down at him. “Remember that time you thought you caught me having a wank in the bedroom right after we were married?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry thought back and then smiled, remembering. “Oh, yeah, that was hot. Wait, are you telling me you were doing that knowing I would walk in on you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny raised an eyebrow at him and licked her lips. "What do you think?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry sat up and wrapped his arms around her. “I think my wife is a little minx, is what I think. Come here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny moaned as he shifted beneath her and his erection came in contact with her lower body. “There are so many things you don’t know about me, Potter,” she whispered, her breath hot against his skin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh? Like what?” Harry said, starting to remove her shirt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Like I just want to watch you wank as I do things to myself, and we both drive each other crazy with desire."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry grunted and then pulled his own shirt off over his head. Her nails traveled down his chest, teasing his nipples. Her tongue was between her teeth as she hungrily gazed down at his body.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, the birthday girl can do whatever she pleases,” he said, warming to the idea. Ginny’s eyes widened and dilated, and she looked so incredibly turned on that he was sorry he hadn’t said it sooner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let me watch you,” she said softly, pulling on his earlobe with a tug of her teeth. She sat back and rested on her arms, her breasts rising and falling as she breathed. He stared at the black lace of her bra and swallowed roughly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry slowly undid his jeans and gazed at his wife as he did so. Ginny stared back, as though hungry for any sight of him. He was going to remove his jeans, but she shook her head. "No, keep them on. I want to think you're so keen for me that you couldn’t even wait to get undressed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nodding, he slipped his hands in between the flap of his boxers and took himself in hand. It was evident he liked what they were doing. Ginny licked her lips as her eyes were drawn downwards. Harry started to stroke himself slowly, feeling his skin heat – not with embarrassment as he’d have thought, but with lust.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny brought her own hand up to her breasts and started teasing her nipples. Harry watched her, his mouth going dry. Two small peaks appeared underneath her bra, and he longed to put his mouth around them. She flicked her hair over her shoulders, a red blaze of light in the shade of the tree, and Harry sucked in a breath. She raised her eyebrows wickedly at him and moved her hand downward until her fingers inched under the rim of her jeans. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How hard are you?” She whispered, sitting up on her hind legs. Harry could only blink at her as he paused his actions. Ginny's fingers had just skimmed below the waistband of her jeans, and her hand was making its way towards her center.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I asked you a question, Mr Potter,” she said, her voice sounding gruff to his ears. He started stroking himself again, and shuddered as her hand movements became more pronounced. He couldn’t see anything, but damn if he couldn’t just imagine what she was doing to herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So hard for you, Gin,” he said softly, gazing back up at her face. He loved her so much sometimes, it was frightening in both its complexity <em>and</em> its simplicity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny lolled her head back, and Harry watched her hair hanging behind her, its fiery tresses igniting something deep within him. Her hand was working faster now, and she was moving back and forth for more friction. Harry felt his body become wet with need and used it to lubricate his hand for faster stroking.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny brought her head back up and opened her eyes to pin him with a blazing look, and Harry swore as he came unexpectedly. He pumped himself as she watched, her skin taking on a heated glow. He watched as she arched her back as her hand stimulated her own body even more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He leaned forward to catch her as she pushed herself too harshly, and she came, crying out in his arms. He crushed his mouth to hers. Harry moved his hands up her back and into her hair as she steadied herself in his lap. When they finally pulled apart, Harry rested his forehead on hers, breathing heavily.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Gods, woman. You have the best ideas. Never let me say otherwise."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny giggled and then looked up at him, smiling. “I love you, Harry.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Likewise,” Harry said, kissing her again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Should we swim?” She asked after a moment as they both came down from their high.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thought you’d never ask,” Harry said, laughing. They both got up and trotted down to the pond, which had a short pier hanging over it on the right. They removed the rest of their clothes, leaving them in a heap upon the wood.  They soon both dove into the water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry relished the coldness of the water on his skin. When he came up for air, Ginny was treading water next to him. She smiled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s a bit colder then I thought,” she said, shaking her head. Harry moved over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can warm you up,” he said, trying to sound sexy. Ginny chuckled, and he felt her hand moving around his waist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So soon, Harry? You know you’re not a boy of seventeen anymore. Best pace yourself.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You are incorrigible," he said, laughing. He pushed away from her and then splashed at her, which only caused Ginny to retaliate in kind. They were soon both laughing so hard, they had to stop for fear of drowning. They swam over to the pier and rested. Harry lifted himself up and then reached his hand down to Ginny, pulling her out of the water. She smirked at him as he blatantly stared at her nakedness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They sat there with their feet dangling over the edge, naked as the day they were born, and Harry felt deeply happy and complete. He kissed her head as she rested it on his shoulder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"This may be the last birthday alone we have for a while," Ginny said after a moment. Harry looked at her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why? Thinking of inviting the whole team next year? They could probably handle the pond, but wanking under the tree might get a bit crowded…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny laughed and hit his shoulder with her own. “Harry! That’s not what I meant. Um. I have something to tell you. Don’t freak out, okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry frowned, feeling as though his happy bubble had just burst. “What? What is it, Gin? You can’t say something like ‘don’t freak out’ and make me not freak out! It’s like the law or something. What’s going on?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She pulled away from him and sighed, squinting at him through the sun. She stood up and put her hand down to help him up. He took it and watched as she grabbed their clothes, feeling his heart starting to panic, just the tiniest bit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come on, let’s head back to the blanket. I don’t feel like fighting the sun out of our eyes when I tell you this.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They sat back down under the tree again, and Harry slipped his jeans on, not wanting to sit around naked for whatever she had to tell him. Ginny threw her shirt around her shoulders and grabbed her knickers, pulling them on. She reached for his hand, and they just sat there, for a moment, completely silent. Harry kissed her fingers and leaned his head down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What is it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny bit her lip and then smiled, rather shyly, in Harry’s opinion. “You know how we had a team meeting this morning?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry nodded, feeling relief that whatever she had to tell him it had to do with work. “Yeah, you said Gwenog called it to talk about next season.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny nodded. “Yeah, we’re losing a player…a chaser, actually.” She gave him a speculative look.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry frowned. “So, Valmai is leaving?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny shook her head. “No…but someone is… due to just finding out that she’s…pregnant.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry’s frown deepened. “But you said a chaser was leaving so…” Harry stopped. He swallowed roughly as he looked at her. He felt as though his entire lunch was about to come back up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But that means…you…we…I…Ginny!” Harry exclaimed, suddenly looking at her stomach as though he’d never seen it before. And in a way he hadn’t – he’d never known there to be the start of another person in there. A baby. They had made a baby. <em>A baby</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, Harry, that means that me, you, and us, have made a baby.” She bit her lip as she looked at him. “Is that all right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry could only open and close his mouth like a fish at her. "All right? All right? She asks me if it's all right. Ginny, that's bloody fucking fantastic!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He practically grabbed her into his arms and kissed her with all he had. Ginny finally broke the kiss, laughing at him and shaking her head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"If you hadn't responded exactly like that, I'm pretty sure I would have broken out in tears," she said wistfully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry gazed at her as though seeing her for the first time. His fierce, beautiful, amazing wife was having a baby. His baby. They had created a life. Suddenly Harry couldn’t take it and stood up, needing air.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Harry?” Ginny asked, her voice sounding worried. But he couldn’t look at her for the moment – everything felt too raw.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, love, I’m sorry, I’m sorry I ruined the day. I should have waited to tell you,” Ginny went to him, hugging him tightly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry shook his head. “No, it’s not that, it’s just…a family, Ginny. We’ll be…a <em>family. </em>I’ll have my own family.<em>”</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>He blinked at her, willing her to understand and smiled as comprehension dawned on her face. Ginny smiled back at him, and her eyes looked watery.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, you’ll have a family. Our own little bundle of joy who will poop all the time and cry all the time, and we'll never have a moment's peace and…oh, <em>Harry</em>." Ginny kissed him, and he felt it was the sweetest kiss they had ever shared. His hand wandered down to her stomach and he felt his heart flutter in utter joy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny was suddenly becoming more demanding with her mouth, and he let her push them towards the tree, only wincing slightly as his head hit the rough bark. Ginny used the leverage at the bottom of the tree to push herself up into his arms and wrapped her legs tightly around his waist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Take me, Harry, make love to me, fuck me, do whatever you want to me, I just need you inside me <em>now</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry never disobeyed his wife when she wanted something, and he could tell she really wanted <em>him</em>. Ginny was running her hands through his hair, rubbing her breasts against him, and he slipped a finger into her knickers, finding her sex wet and warm. She moaned at the back of her throat as he fingered her, moving his thumb in lazy circles over her. She pushed her hips forward, and then they were both reaching down to unzip his jeans, rather carefully. They smiled at each other when he was, at last, free, and he slipped seamlessly inside her, joining with her completely. They both stilled, enjoying the sensation, and then Ginny was writhing against him, and Harry held onto her even as he began to let go of himself. He thrust as much as his position would allow him, and Ginny let out a low and guttural moan. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, love, yes,” Ginny panted in his ear, spurring him on. He held her underneath her arse and moved his mouth along her neck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Use your hips," he whispered, and she complied, pushing into his with all of he might.  After a few moment, Harry felt his strength starting to falter and captured her lips in a kiss. "I'm going to move us down, hang on," he said, and Ginny nodded at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He lowered them to the blanket and then pulled out of her. Before she could even begin to complain, he turned her over and then entered her from behind, suddenly needing to really thrust inside of her. Ginny grunted in pleasure, and it did things to his insides to hear it, and Harry reached out, grabbing her breasts from behind. He teased her and rubbed the soft pads of his fingers against her nipples, causing her to moan with abandon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh god,” Ginny murmured, and Harry agreed with her. He set a blistering pace for them, but she followed him – as she always did- every thrust, every movement, Ginny matched him equally until Harry wasn't even sure where she began, and he ended. He could feel her tightening around him and he desperately pulled on her hips, his fingers digging into her skin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She cried out his name as she came, convulsing around him in glorious release. Ginny threw her head back, and her hair snapped at him, but he could only marvel at it as his own body finally exploded deep within her. They collapsed together, utterly spent, and Harry could only hear the pounding of his heart in his ears and the same thought in his head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He pulled her to him, ducking her head under his chin. “We really made a baby?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny laughed against his chest and then looked up at him. “Well, probably not the way we just did it, but yes, we made a baby. About six weeks ago.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry thought back and couldn’t remember six hours ago, let alone six weeks. He sighed happily and hugged her body to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Happy Birthday, Gin. Although I have to say, I think you're the one giving all the gifts today."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Then there'd better be cake in that picnic basket for afters, Potter,” Ginny said sleepily.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Harry smiled and let her drift off. He watched her breathing, still marveling at her. At the two them together.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His eyes strayed upward, and he saw a strange bird watching them from the tree above. Harry wasn't sure, but he thought it must be a woodpecker. It was black and white with stripes and a red breast. It looked at them as though intrigued by what they'd been doing, and Harry couldn't help but laugh. It startled the bird, and it flew off a few moments later. Harry mused to himself that he’d have to start learning things like the names of birds and how to do things like tie a nappy. Because he was going to be a Dad, and Dad’s had to know about those types of things, didn’t they?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ginny mumbled something incoherently against him and he held tightly onto her. He couldn’t believe he was going to be a father. He couldn’t believe Ginny was going to be a Mum. But it felt right, to him. They were ready. And at any rate, they had nine more months of just being Harry and Ginny, and he was going to enjoy every minute of it and make sure that she did too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>O-o-o-o-O</p>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. One Year & 12 Days</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Just another little smutlet and glimpse into Harry &amp; Ginny’s life together.....</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ginny awoke. A beam of sunlight fell across her and about midway over the bed, so she knew that she had slept in a bit. It was her first day off in 12 days, and she had needed the rest. Ginny turned her head to look at her husband's side of the bed, which was unsurprisingly empty. She stretched, arching her arms up above her head, and considered trying to go back to sleep. But curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to see where Harry had scarpered off to.</p><p> </p><p>Pulling on her old dressing gown, now mostly used out of habit and comfort, she wandered into the loo to comb her hair and brush her teeth. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail,  and once she was finally satisfied that she looked reasonably human, she headed downstairs.</p><p> </p><p>Ginny looked into their sitting room and saw the mess from the night before. Neither she nor Harry had been in the mood for a tidy up. They had basically said 'sod it' and left things as they were. Books, magazines, and random crumpled up pieces of paper from Harry’s outline for work littered the floor. Her quidditch gear lay in a heap next to the chair. Ginny went into the room to try to straighten it up but only got as far as the pillows on the floor, and tossed them haphazardly onto the settee. She had just caught a whiff of what had to be her favorite meal of the day – <em>breakfast</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Turning back around and making a fast track to the kitchen, Ginny smiled as she paused in the doorway. There stood her husband of precisely one year and 12 days, flipping pancakes and humming tunelessly along to the wireless radio they had sitting on the shelf next to the sink. She had to admire his skill as he flipped the paper-thin cakes into the air and back down again. She could see he’d been at it for a while – there were already bacon rashers and fried eggs being kept under a warming charm next to him.</p><p> </p><p>“Is a starving Ron showing up soon?” She asked, startling him. He turned his head and grinned at her.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, sleepy-head. Nice of you to finally join the living. And no, this is all just for us. I know how my wife likes to eat. Especially on her days off.”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny snorted and went over to him, slipping her hands around his middle. She sighed as she rested her head against his back. Harry hummed back in reply and continued cooking.</p><p> </p><p>“But why the pancakes? This looks like plenty,” Ginny said, noticing he had also done tomatoes and mushrooms.</p><p> </p><p>"I was hungry, too. Now go get some coffee and leave me be. It's almost ready."</p><p> </p><p>Ginny swatted his behind playfully and did as she was told, pouring herself a rather large cup of coffee. She was using her favorite cup – it said Go! Go! Gryffindor and was large, red, and slightly chipped on the side. It had been a present from Luna for her last birthday.</p><p> </p><p>Harry finished at the stove and floated the food over as Ginny decided to try a bit of cream in her coffee. Harry was always shaking his head at her when she drank it black. As he sat down, he leaned over and kissed her. Harry pulled away and then winked at her. They both attacked their food with enthusiasm and ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes.  Ginny smiled gratefully at her husband and put her fork down. She patted her stomach.</p><p> </p><p>"I am so glad I married you for your cooking talents," she said, smiling at him.</p><p> </p><p>Harry snorted into his eggs and looked at her. “I thought you married me because of that thing I do with my tongue that you like so well?”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny smirked at him. “That can be simulated, Harry, but a good, delicious fry-up? Impossible to put a value on.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry frowned. “You’ve tried to simulate what I do when we’re together?”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny rested her chin on her hand. “Well, a wife has to entertain herself somehow while she’s away from home playing Quidditch. Or even sometimes when her husband is off making the world a better place."</p><p> </p><p>Harry looked scandalized and then growled at her. “I’m not sure I really appreciate being replaced by a spell, Gin. It’s nice to know my role in our sex life is perfunctory now.”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny tsked and got up, moving to his chair and lowering herself to his lap. Wrapping her arms around him, she shook her head as she lowered her mouth closer to his.</p><p> </p><p>“I never said that you git."</p><p> </p><p>Harry smirked at her briefly. “I know, but it was the quickest way I could get you into my lap.”</p><p> </p><p>“You could have just asked, my love,” Ginny said, moving her mouth to the side of his neck. She felt his hands travel up along her side and then in between the flaps of her dressing gown. They kissed as Harry's hand covered her breast, and Ginny twisted so that she was straddling him and the chair. She let her head hang back as his mouth traced its way down her neck and sighed happily.</p><p> </p><p>“First breakfast and now this,” Ginny panted as Harry’s mouth grew more insistent. “What did I do to deserve such a great day off?”</p><p> </p><p>“Our anniversary was 12 days ago. And we’ve barely seen each other since. I reckoned it was time for a reminder of why you married me,” Harry said, his voice muffled as his head moved further down. Ginny looked down at his dark, messy hair and smiled.</p><p> </p><p>Things were progressing quite nicely, Ginny thought, when an Apparation alarm sounded through their house.</p><p> </p><p>"Bugger," Harry swore, pulling his head up. Their eyes met, and Ginny sighed, climbing off of him. She closed her dressing gown, and Harry closed his eyes. Ginny was amused as he took in deep breaths, steadying himself. Judging by the tale-tell signs she'd felt on his lap, she was about to have been a fortunate wife indeed. Right there on the kitchen table.</p><p> </p><p>A few moments later, a knock on the door had them both trying to return to normal as her brother came in through the hallway, heading towards the stairs.</p><p> </p><p>"Harry! Ginny!" Ron was shouting as though they were both hard of hearing. Ginny rolled her eyes and looked pointedly at her husband, who could only grimace in response.</p><p> </p><p>"We're in the kitchen, Ron," Harry called out, and Ginny poured more coffee into her cup, (this time without the cream) trying not to hex her brother into next week for interrupting their morning. She had always thought they should have made their house unplottable, right from the beginning. So no one could find them. Especially her daft brother, who had the worst timing in all of Great Britain. Ginny couldn’t even count anymore how many times Ron had interrupted her and Harry when they had both rather been doing other things. Mostly each other.</p><p> </p><p>Ron poked his head around the corner a moment later and smiled. “There you are! Wow, look at all the food, can I have some?”</p><p> </p><p>Before either Ginny or Harry could answer, Ron was helping himself. Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother and picked up her coffee cup.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be upstairs, enjoying my first morning off in 12 days,” Ginny said plainly, raising her eyebrow at Harry, who gave a slight nod of his head. Ron, of course, ignored her, starting to talk about work. As she passed her husband, she let her hand linger on his shoulder. His green eyes darkened as he looked up at her, and she smirked. Ginny was glad they understood each other. She was certain Ron would be gone and reasonably soon, if Harry had anything to say about it.</p><p> </p><p>Once upstairs, Ginny decided to shower. It was as good a way as any to pass the time. Setting her coffee under a warming spell, she threw her dressing gone onto the bed and entered their shower. After a few turns of the different taps, she soon had a pleasant steam going. She and Harry had splurged on their shower when they had bought the house – there were two shower heads on either side, with a comfortable bench built into the middle. There were also miniature shower-heads placed strategically around the stall to hit all the critical areas. Ginny barely bothered with them when dashing out the door to practice, but today she thought she just might indulge herself.</p><p> </p><p>She grabbed her body soap and shampoo and sighed as the warm water hit her shoulders. Oh, yeah, this is the stuff, she thought to herself. She washed her hair and let her mind wander, wondering how long Ron would monopolize her husband’s time. Ginny had told all of her friends not to bother her today – and realized she should have extended that warning to her family as well.</p><p> </p><p>She was just finishing when Harry opened the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Damn,” he said, as she turned the water off. “I missed shower time?”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny smirked as his glasses started to fog up and removed them for him. "Yes, you did, but you still have a very clean wife who doesn't mind if you make her dirty again. My brother finally leave?"</p><p> </p><p>Harry’s eyes had drifted downward, his gaze hungry. He nodded absentmindedly at her question and reached out for her, his fingers gripping her tightly around the waist. Ginny chuckled and moved out of his grasp.</p><p> </p><p>“Why don’t you take a quick shower and meet me on the bed?”</p><p> </p><p>“Er, no, I’m good, besides I thought you wanted me to make you dirty again?”</p><p> </p><p>“I like you all wet and clean, dear husband. And I want to lie on the bed imagining you getting all hot and steamy in here.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry sighed but turned on the taps. "Don't get too carried away imagining, Gin. Save it for me."</p><p> </p><p>“Of course, Harry.”</p><p> </p><p>She sauntered out into their bedroom, knowing that he was watching her walk away and that he would probably take a total of five whole minutes to shower. Shaking her head, Ginny went to her lingerie drawer at the bottom of their wardrobe and smiled. Hermione had given her a fantastic gift for their anniversary. It had been a gift certificate for Madam Celeste’s Boudoir Adornments, and Harry had yet to know about it. Ginny figured today was the day to surprise <em>him</em> for a change.</p><p> </p><p>She pulled the dark blue chemise out of the box it was still wrapped in and quickly slipped it over her head. It was silky and slinky and fit her like a glove. She used her wand to promptly dry her hair, not wanting it to get in the way. She grabbed the matching pair of crotch-less panties and smiled. She couldn't wait until Harry discovered those.</p><p> </p><p>Ginny quickly made the bed with her wand and had just enough time to take another drink of her coffee before she heard the taps turn off. Smiling to herself, she climbed onto the bed and arranged herself in the middle. Realizing at the last minute that Harry not having his glasses on might ruin the effect, she called out to her husband.</p><p> </p><p>“Put your glasses on, Harry.”</p><p> </p><p>“What?” He stuck his head around the door corner, squinting at her. Ginny rolled her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Glasses, please. You’re missing my enticingly dramatic placement on our bed here.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry laughed, and a moment later, he came back around the door, glasses on and a towel around his middle. He stopped, staring at her, and Ginny felt the thrill of success.</p><p> </p><p>“Um, yeah,” Harry said, blinking owlishly at her. “That’s new.”</p><p> </p><p>"It's a gift from Hermione, do you like it?" Ginny sat up and let her hand travel over her breasts and then downward. She gave her husband an innocent look.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think like enters into it, really,” Harry said, his voice dropping an octave. “It’s bloody brilliant.”</p><p> </p><p>“There’s more,” Ginny said, laying back against the pillows. Harry had moved to stand at the foot of the bed, his eyes never leaving her body. At her words, he glanced up at her.</p><p> </p><p>“More?”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny nodded and then slowly opened her legs. Harry's skin blushed a bright pink as he took in the view, and he was on the bed and crawling towards her before she could even speak. He kissed her fiercely, his wet body colliding with hers. She giggled as she felt him harden against the side of her leg.</p><p> </p><p>“My, my, Mr Potter,” she said as they broke apart. “I reckon you like it then.”</p><p> </p><p>“I reckon I do, Mrs Potter,” Harry said, his voice low. It made Ginny’s stomach swoop in reaction.</p><p> </p><p>His eyes were dark green, and he was staring at her, full of hunger. Ginny felt excited at the promise of what that meant. Harry’s parted her legs more as he sat back and lightly tickled her, causing her to laugh. He lowered himself down, flinging his glasses off over his shoulder. Ginny smirked at the clunk they made as they hit the ground, but soon all feeling of amusement left her as Harry's face drew closer to her body. He opened her briefly with his hand, and then she felt his mouth claim her, and stars appeared behind her eyes as she closed them. Harry loving her always made her see stars – and her first moan of the morning sounded brash and wanton in their bedroom. Ginny had a feeling that she definitely wasn’t going to be quiet today. Maybe she could convince her slightly aural-reticent husband to do the same.</p><p> </p><p>Harry slipped a finger into her as his mouth continued to make love to her. Ginny was writhing against the back of the bed, feeling white-hot with sensation. He hummed against her, the vibration making her quiver, and she answered with another moan. She felt her body traveling the distance between pleasure and release and whispered Harry’s name as his fingers rubbed against that spot within in her that made her shake. Before too long, she was bucking against his face, swearing and calling out his name as she came.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, Harry removed himself and traveled up her body to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around him, letting her fingers run through his still-wet hair. She tasted herself on his face and pushed herself up against him, wanting more. Harry chuckled as he pulled back and rested his head against hers.</p><p> </p><p>“Liked that, did you?” Harry whispered.</p><p> </p><p>“Uh-huh, very much, but now I need something else, Harry.”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny moved her hands and mouth down the broad expanse of his chest, loving her husband’s body. She nipped at his nipples and then moved her hand through the trail of hair that started mid-way down. Harry moved so that he was lying back against the pillows, and Ginny continued her downward trek. She removed the towel, unsurprised to find him ready for her. She loved Harry's body, especially this part of him, and looked up at him to tell him.</p><p> </p><p>“Seeing you like this makes me so wet, husband. It’s a shame you can’t walk around like this all the time.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry smirked lazily at her. “It’d be a bit painful, I think, Gin.”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny smiled as she took him in hand, her wrist closing around the head. He sucked in a deep breath as she started to stroke her way up and down. She licked her lips and then moved her mouth over him, slowly heading downward. She was rewarded by a naughty word and winked back up at her husband.</p><p> </p><p>“No, but soon,” she said in reply, and Harry’s face blushed. Ginny loved that she could still make him do that.</p><p> </p><p>She squeezed him lightly as she continued to suck at him, loving the way he sighed and not-so-quietly moaned her name. It had taken almost an entire year of having sex for Harry to develop his vocal skills while they made love, and Ginny was delighted each and every time he let go of another inhibition.</p><p> </p><p>"God, Gin, please…." His voice was full of need, and she knew she had teased him enough. She removed her mouth and then sat up, straddling him. She waited until she had his eyes before she lowered herself down. They both moaned in pleasure as their bodies joined, and Ginny closed her eyes as she adjusted to Harry filling her completely. </p><p> </p><p>He let her set the pace, his hands on her hips, sometimes straying under the chemise to cup her breasts. They gazed at each other, and Ginny shivered at what she saw on his face. His eyes were full of emotion as he watched her, and she hoped he knew that she felt the same. She pulled herself up and sat back, so she could thrust and angle herself on top of him better. Harry swore softly at the feeling and pushed up off the bed, meeting her half-way.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Harry, I love you,” she said, biting her lip. He reached up and pulled her towards him, his lips crushing hers into a heated kiss.</p><p> </p><p>“And I love you,” he whispered back, holding her tightly around the waist. They moved quicker now, each reaching that peak of release. Ginny tightened herself around him as he grabbed her, holding her close. Their breathing was loud as their bodies met again and again, and she felt Harry push roughly upwards, and then he was crying out, his voice ragged but brilliantly loud in her ear. She moaned as her body let go a moment later, holding on to Harry, knowing that he had her. Completely.</p><p> </p><p>As they came down together from their respective highs, Harry nuzzled his mouth against her, kissing her.</p><p> </p><p>"Happy one year and 12-day Anniversary, wife of mine," Harry said, chuckling.</p><p> </p><p>Ginny smiled as they collapsed onto the bed together. She remained on top of him, still joined together. She lifted her head and let her finger caress his cheek. Her finger then traced the side of his face, up to his forehead, lingering on his scar. His green eyes gazed at her, full of love.</p><p> </p><p>“What should we do with the rest of our day?” Ginny asked lightly.</p><p> </p><p>"Give me twenty minutes, and I'll show you?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrow.</p><p> </p><p>Ginny laughed out loud and then removed her self from him, rolling to the side. She propped herself up on her hand and gazed at him. "So, shagging all day again, then?"</p><p> </p><p>Harry laughed and moved next to her. “Can’t think of a better use of our time, to be honest.”</p><p> </p><p>"I thought you had to go into work this afternoon?"</p><p> </p><p>Harry shook his head, running his hand through her hair and watching the strands fall through his fingers. “Nope, that‘s why Ron showed up. I called off, told them I had pressing business at home. He just wanted to go over some details for a case we're working on.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m pressing business?” Ginny asked, kissing his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“Definitely. See? It’s starting already.”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny glanced down at her husband’s body and laughed in pleasure. “Well, then, husband, press away.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry laughed and rolled them over so that he was looking down at her. “I think I’ll pay better attention to these this time.” He nodded at her breasts, and Ginny smirked as his head started moving down her body. His hands pushed the chemise upwards and she shivered as the rough pads of his fingers teased her. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed happily. Maybe they would make this a new anniversary – something for just the two of them to enjoy. Ginny lost her train of thought as Harry’s mouth became more demanding and felt herself let go into all they had together.</p><p> </p><p>o-o-o-o-o</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Always Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“Daddy?”</p><p> </p><p>"Hmm?" Harry said, glancing up from the work report he was writing. He'd staked out the kitchen table to make sure the children weren't getting up to anything nefarious while their mother was away. His eyes fell on his youngest, Lily Luna, and he smiled. She was very much the spitting image of her Mum, right down to her freckled nose. He laid his quill down and nodded at her. She waited a moment and then climbed into his lap. She was almost getting too big for it, Harry realized with dismay, and it made him hold her tighter.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s up, Lil?” He said, looking down at her. She appeared upset.</p><p> </p><p>“Albus won’t let me play his stupid game. And James is ignoring me in his room. With his <em>door</em> closed. And you’re ignoring me. Mummy said you would play with me.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry shook his head. “I’m not ignoring you, love. Just finishing up some work. Of which I have had enough of, come to mention it. And what do you mean, Albus won’t let you play his game?”</p><p> </p><p>“He’s charming apples to smash into the side of the house and says I’m too little.” His daughter’s eyes flashed at his – the perfect match to her mother’s when she was riled up about something. Harry tsked at her and then put her down on the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“Well then, let’s just go see what Albus says when I ask him to play.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry let Lily lead him towards the side of their house, suddenly hearing minor explosions he hadn’t heard before. He realized his son had sneakily used a Shush-The-Sounds-Charm-Box from his uncle’s joke shop to disguise what he’d been doing.</p><p> </p><p>Sure enough, just as Lily had said, Harry and Ginny’s second born was lobbing apples at the house with his wand, cackling with glee as each apple hit the wall with a healthy crash and plop of noise. Always one for destroying whatever he could, whenever he could, Harry sometimes had to wonder about Albus. There was a wildness in him at times that Harry just couldn’t place. It wasn’t something too worrying, Ginny assured him, sometimes boys just liked to make things explode. Having been a boy himself, Harry knew that yes, sometimes watching things explode was <em>cool</em>. But Al usually took it to a whole new level.</p><p> </p><p>“Ahem,” Harry said loudly, catching Albus in mid-casting. The apple strayed off course and fell to the ground in a disappointing thud. It rolled towards Harry and Lily and stopped right at their feet. Harry glanced up at his son.</p><p> </p><p>“Feeling upset about something? And is there a reason you’re taking it out on your sister <em>and</em> these poor apples?” Harry asked as Lily reached down for the apple to try for herself. She threw it at the house, laughing as she did so. Harry smirked as the apple arced in the air perfectly. <em>Oh, yeah, Lily was definitely her mother’s daughter.</em> She was going to make an excellent chaser someday, he just knew it.</p><p> </p><p>Albus grunted and didn’t say anything. He kicked at a half-apple on the ground and looked at his father. “She’s too young to play with.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry just raised his eyebrow at his son and walked over to the rest of the apples. He gave Lily a few more and nodded at her. “Do your worst, Lils." His daughter giggled with joy, and soon the sound of more apples hitting the house filled the air.</p><p> </p><p>“Your Mum’s due back tonight. She’s not going to be happy with all this mess,” Harry said to Albus. His son grunted again and didn’t say anything. Harry had to hold in a sigh. He shook his head and nodded for Al to join him on one of the two tire swings they had. After a moment, his pensive son reluctantly joined him, sitting down and kicking his trainers in the dirt. Harry didn’t say anything and merely watched Lily enjoying herself.</p><p> </p><p>“Why is Mum always gone now?” Albus finally asked, his voice quiet.</p><p> </p><p>“She’s busy with work. She loves writing for the Prophet, you know that. She likes traveling to the away games and staying in touch with her old Quidditch friends.”</p><p> </p><p>“No one else’s Mum is away all the time,” Albus said sullenly. Harry frowned.</p><p> </p><p>“Your aunt Hermione works, as does Aunt Angelina.”</p><p> </p><p>“But they’re home every day. Mum goes out on the road with the team, and we never see her."</p><p> </p><p>“Only for a week at a time, Al. And only during Quidditch season. Why is this bothering you?”</p><p> </p><p>Albus didn’t say anything and started swinging back and forth. Harry held back another sigh and wondered if he was just doomed to have a bad relationship with his middle-child. James had been relatively easy to raise, good-natured, and full of humor. Although if the amount of time the now teenage boy was spending in his room was any indication, Harry would have to be having a talk with him soon as well. About an entirely different subject. Harry shuddered at the idea of talking to James about…<em>girls</em>. Maybe he’d make Ginny handle that one. He didn’t hold much hope of her not laughing in his face.</p><p> </p><p>He reached out his hand to steady his son on the tire and looked at him. He had Harry’s dark hair, but Ginny’s warm brown eyes and a light smattering of freckles across his face. Albus also had Ginny’s fiery temper. Thankfully, he also had her streak of fair play, but Harry knew that Albus had been burdened with his father’s moods. He didn’t think puberty would be very kind to either of them in the coming years. Remembering himself as a moody git didn’t actually mean Harry knew how to handle his son. Ginny was usually the best at handling Albus when he was like this. Harry smirked to himself that she was very adept at handling him, too.</p><p> </p><p>"Your Mum was home a lot when you three were little, and now since Lily is a bit older, it's her turn to go out and do things. I owe that to her. You could be a little bit more supportive and act like a big brother towards Lily. You know she thinks the world of you.” Harry kept his voice neutral, not wanting to have a row with his son, but also not wanting Albus to think it was okay that he had hurt Lily’s feelings by ignoring her.</p><p> </p><p>Albus scowled but didn’t say anything. Lily chose that moment to wander over to them, having exhausted her supply of apples. She stopped in front of Albus and peered up at him, as though trying to judge his mood. Harry watched as his son rolled his eyes. Counting to ten in his head, Harry was just about to chastise him when Albus reached out and took his sister’s hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Come on Lils, let’s make a game out of cleaning up all the apples we smashed. Maybe if we have enough good pieces left over, Mum will make her apple tarts when she gets back.” Albus glanced at Harry and then shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>Harry watched them for a moment and then released a deep breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. <em>Crisis averted, Potter</em>, Harry heard Ginny’s voice in his head and smiled. “Yeah, for now,” Harry said out loud and got up to help his children. He was glad Ginny was due home tonight – for many reasons. He also missed the hell out of her.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>o-o-o-o-o-o</p><p> </p><p>By the time Ginny made it home, the kids had eaten, and Harry had decided to make his own version of her apple tarts, much to Al's dismay. But Lily was supportive enough and helped make the crust, her smaller hands practically perfect for the size Harry needed. Ginny smiled at him from the sitting room as James asked for all the Quidditch details she could give him. Harry noticed Al was reading, sitting in the corner by himself, but every so often, he would gaze at his mother and elder brother, a look of contentment on his face.</p><p> </p><p><em>Hmm</em>, thought Harry to himself, <em>maybe he really did just miss his Mum</em>.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Come on, Daddy, stop gawking at Mummy and finish the tarts!” Lily poked at him with her small hand, drawing his attention back down to her.</p><p> </p><p>“I wasn’t gawking, and where did you learn such a word anyway?”</p><p> </p><p>“James,” Lily said, nodding at him as he put the finishing touches on the last tart. Harry used his wand to float them over to the pan on the oven. He pursed his lips at his daughter.</p><p> </p><p>“And why was James telling you about gawking anyway?”</p><p> </p><p>Lily watched him as he put the tarts into the oven, apparently satisfied he wasn’t going to forget to bake them. She scrunched up her face at his question.</p><p> </p><p>“James said you gawk at Mummy all the time when you don’t think any of us are looking. He thinks it’s funny.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry glanced at his eldest son, who was now reading something Ginny was showing him from her notebook. Probably some new complicated play that Harry would have to learn when they had their Weasley-Potter Quidditch matches with the rest of the family. “Oh, he does, does he?”</p><p> </p><p>Lily nodded her head assuredly and took him by the hand back to the sink to clean up. Harry bent down and pulled her up into his arms so she could lean over the sink and wash her hands.</p><p> </p><p>“He also says you and Mummy have the hots for each other.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Harry almost laughed out loud at his daughter but managed not to encourage her. “I don’t think you should be listening to James quite so much, Lils. And I also think I need to have a talk with him about putting ideas in your head.”</p><p> </p><p>Lily frowned at him as he handed her a towel to dry off with. Setting her back down on the ground, Harry washed his own hands and then looked at her as he took the towel back.</p><p> </p><p>“But you do look at Mummy a lot,” Lily said, sounding confused.  “You look at Mummy the way I look at Timothy.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry felt a sudden alarm as he crouched down to look at his daughter in dismay. “Lily, who’s Timothy?”</p><p> </p><p>“My bear! Uncle George gave him to me. He's ever so cute, and he makes little cooing noises when I cuddle with him. Like you do with Mummy. Except I don’t have the hots for Timothy. He’s just a bear.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” Harry said, suddenly remembering the giant purple bear she’d been carrying around with her lately. He felt a flood of relief.  He hadn’t even had a chance to talk to James about sex yet, he didn’t fancy having <em>that</em> talk with Lily. Now that discussion Ginny could definitely handle.</p><p> </p><p>“All right, you two?” As though being summoned, Ginny came into the kitchen, smiling at them. Harry stood back up and nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“Lils was just telling me her brother says we have the hots for each other,” Harry said sardonically as he smiled at his wife. Ginny raised her eyebrow and looked at her daughter.</p><p> </p><p>“Lily why don’t you tell James to help you get ready for bed, he told me he’s dying to do it.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry chuckled as Lily took off for the sitting room, calling James’s name. Getting Lily ready for bed was a chore in the Potter household. She had a various array of different rules you had to follow, or Merlin help you, you were in for it.</p><p> </p><p>Ginny came over and wrapped her arm around his middle. Harry grinned down at her. “That seems a bit of mean trick to play on our eldest child, Gin.”</p><p> </p><p>“Serves him right for telling his nine-year-old sister about sex.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry snickered. “I don’t think telling her I have the hots for you really counts.”</p><p> </p><p>"Not to mention, he told her nothing about the hots I have for you. I don't want Lily to get the wrong idea," Ginny smirked at him and moved her mouth up to his. Harry smiled as she kissed him gently.</p><p> </p><p>“What idea would that be?” Harry asked, curious.</p><p> </p><p>“That a Mum can be just as gawking as a Daddy,” Ginny said, laughing.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, so you heard that part too?”</p><p> </p><p>“Lily’s voice carries,” Ginny whispered. As if on cue, they both heard their daughter start to laugh rather loudly. A moment later, James, with Lily on his shoulders, went running past the kitchen on their way to the stairs.</p><p> </p><p>“James Sirius, be careful with her!” Harry called out to no avail. Ginny shook her head at them.</p><p> </p><p>“Are the apple tarts done yet?” Al came into the kitchen, looking less content now that Ginny had left the sitting room. Harry glanced at the stove.</p><p> </p><p>“Ten more minutes. Why don’t you help your Mum clean up my mess, and I'll check on how Getting Lily to Bed is progressing." Harry pointed upstairs and gave Ginny what he hoped was a significant look to talk to their middle child. </p><p> </p><p>"Just another way for you to shirk your duties, Potter," Ginny said, laughing at him. But Harry watched as she stared at their son. She reached out her hand to Al and Harry pretended to look the other way, moving to go upstairs. He had a feeling Albus needed some alone time with his mother.</p><p> </p><p>“Come on, Al, give your ol’Mum a hand. You clean the dishes better than your dad anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry paused and watched them for a moment, Ginny standing at the sink, turning on the taps as Albus started to stack the dishes next to her. He watched as Ginny ran her hand through her son's hair and then pulled him closer to her. She whispered something that caused a smile to break out across his son’s face. Feeling as though he was intruding, he headed up the stairs, hoping Lily hadn’t had James do the Toothpaste Monster yet. Harry loved that bit.</p><p> </p><p>o-o-o-o-o-o</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, goodness, but I missed you, husband," Ginny whispered against his ear, and Harry smiled, his eyes closed. It had been worth it, staying up until the kids went to sleep just so that he could finally spend some much needed private time with his wife. Their bodies glistened with no small amount of happy, sex-induced sweat, and Ginny stretched beside him, her hand moving up and down his chest. Harry opened one eye and looked at the satisfied look on his wife's face and snorted. She gazed at him.</p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p> </p><p>“You look like the kneazle who swallowed the canary," Harry said, laughing at her.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I swallowed <em>something</em>,” she said, wagging her eyes brows at him. Harry chuckled and wrapped his arm around her.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll say.”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny sighed and rested her head on his chest for a few minutes. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong with Albus this time, or will I have to suss it out myself?"</p><p> </p><p>Harry frowned and didn't say anything at first. Finally, he shook his head. "How do you do that?"</p><p> </p><p>“Do what?”</p><p> </p><p>“Just know when something is wrong after being home for only five hours?”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny turned her head and looked at him, smiling. “I’m their Mum, Harry. A Mum always knows.”</p><p> </p><p>"Uh-huh. Also, you probably talked to Lily and got her to spill the beans."</p><p> </p><p>Ginny chuckled, moving her fingers across his chest. He gazed down at her, watching her for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>"Al misses you when you're not here. More than me, and that's saying something," he finally offered, kissing the top of her head.</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm,” Ginny said, looking thoughtful. “Our middle child is a bit of a dark horse sometimes, isn’t he?”</p><p> </p><p>"No more than I was at that age, I'm sure," Harry said, feeling defensive all of a sudden. Ginny smiled gently at him and stroked his arm reassuringly.</p><p> </p><p>“I know, love. I just meant he’s not going to have it easy when he goes to school next year. He’s sensitive.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’d think all the Weasley blood in his veins would have toughened him up,” Harry said lightly. Ginny rolled her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“I reckon it’s the Potter blood making him an angsty sod then?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, to be fair, I wasn’t actually known to be full of cheer as a kid, Gin.”</p><p> </p><p>"No, that's true," Ginny said, staring at him. She shifted and moved closer to him. He moved his arm, and she fitted herself on top of him, Harry's arms wrapped around her instinctively.</p><p> </p><p>“But you had a good reason, living with those Muggles. What is Al’s issue, exactly? I love him just as much as James and Lily, but even I wonder about him sometimes. God, do I sound like a horrible mother?" Ginny grimaced at her own words, and Harry tried to soothe her.</p><p> </p><p>“No, I had similar thought myself, earlier. I’m not…sure. Maybe it’s just a case of being in the middle. He’s not the oldest…”</p><p> </p><p>“And he’s not the youngest or the girl,” Ginny said, nodding.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe we’re just lousy parents?” Harry said sadly, and Ginny shook her head at him.</p><p> </p><p>“No, James and Lily are prime examples that at least one of us knew what they were doing.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry snorted at the mischievous look in her eye but then sobered. “I wish I could reach him.”</p><p> </p><p>"Well, it sounds as though you did this afternoon. Lily was full of how Albus helped her do this, and Albus helped her do that. I reckon whatever you said to him must have made some connection.”</p><p> </p><p>“I just told him to be a good big brother, really.”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny nodded and kissed him sweetly. Harry found himself responding to her, and they both sighed when they broke apart. She winked at him.</p><p> </p><p>“You did miss me, Harry. Twice in one night? You’re making me question the so-called sexual decline of middle-aged men.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey! I’m not middle-aged!”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny chuckled and kissed him again. “Only kidding, love.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry grumped at her and moved so she could settle in against his side. She tangled her legs with his, and he let his eyes wander over his wife's still quite fit body. Even after three kids. He didn't think he would ever get tired of it. "I'll show you middle-aged decline in just a few minutes, Ginny Potter."</p><p> </p><p>Ginny made a noise as though she couldn’t wait and smirked at him. He reached out and touched her breast, rubbing one of the nipples into a sharp peak. Her eyes dilated as she looked at him, and she moved her hand, downwards towards his middle. She soon had him forgetting about everything except what she was doing. Ginny had always had the power to make him forget his own name.  They moved and shifted, with Harry moving on top of her for this round. She looked at him with that blazing look of hers that always made his knees feel weak.</p><p> </p><p>“You did cast the Silencing Charm earlier, right?” he asked, glancing at their door.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, and the Do-Not-Disturb-Alarm as well, so be as loud and as forceful as you want, Harry. You know I love hearing you.”</p><p> </p><p>He gazed down at her and felt his cheeks heat. “Not as much as I love hearing you.”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny's hair was fanned out behind her, and she smiled up at him, a deliciously slow look that made him feel 17 again.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s make some noise then, Potter,” she said, wrapping her legs around his waist, drawing him in.</p><p> </p><p>Harry dipped his head down and kissed her as he shifted closer to her. She jerked her legs around him tighter as though to tell him to hurry up, and he smirked at her. He let his mouth fall to the side of her neck, his lips right by her hear.</p><p> </p><p>“Anxious, aren’t you, wife? Need me to scratch that itch of yours again?”</p><p> </p><p>“Stop teasing and fuck me already, Harry,” Ginny whispered back, and he pulled away to see her brown eyes filled with desire. With one sure movement, Harry did as he was told. He had been married for too many years to disobey his wife when she wanted something. She made a hissing noise as he pushed all the way in, and they both stilled for a moment, enjoying the sensation.</p><p> </p><p>Propping himself on his hands, he started thrusting in earnest, and Ginny responded in kind, moving her bottom half to meet his. Her legs tightened around him again, and she threw her head back, a long, shameless moan filling their room. Wanting to feel more of her, Harry pulled back and untangled her legs from his waist. Ginny immediately understood what he wanted and shifted her legs so that they were now resting on his shoulders. Harry slid in deeper than before, and they both sighed.</p><p> </p><p>“Brilliant idea, love,” Ginny said as he started his momentum again. Harry reached down and played with her breasts, teasing her. He moved his hand down until he was able to rub her more intimately, and she keened her approval. She pulled her legs back to give him more room, and Harry slowed his pace, thrusting in time to match the way he was rubbing her. Ginny shuddered underneath him, tossing her head back and forth, her hair a blaze of color against the somber light of the moon that flooded their bedroom.</p><p> </p><p> Ginny gazed fiercely at him, biting her lip with need. He started to speed his movements as she moved her hand to cover his. Knowing what she wanted, Harry pulled away and then gripped her calves, one in each hand, as she took over for him between her legs. He loved watching her please herself as he entered her. Ginny started moaning, her body tightening around his. He knew she was on that edge of release when she arched her back, his name falling off her lips like a prayer. Watching her come undone made his own movements less skilled and more hurried, and he swore loudly as she clenched tightly around him. Loving her as she watched him and reacted to his touch was the most exquisite thing Harry had ever known, and he shattered above her as she said his name, begging him to follow her into completion.</p><p> </p><p>They stayed breathless and still for a long while, each lost in their own reactions. Eventually, Harry felt her hand making random shapes on his shoulder, and he propped his head up to look at her. She smiled, and then they kissed, slow and deep for what felt like a blissful eternity to Harry.</p><p> </p><p>Harry rubbed his head against hers. “Gods, I love you, wife.”</p><p> </p><p>"I know," Ginny said, puckishly, and he chuckled. They broke apart and then lay next to each other on the bed, their breathing still loud in the room. Ginny made a half-moan as she stretched like a cat next to him. She rolled over to the bedside table and took a long drink of water from the glass they always had there. Harry playfully slapped her backside, and she snorted, some of the water coming out of her mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks a lot,” she said, wiping at her lips.</p><p> </p><p>"I didn't want you to drink it all. I'm thirsty too, and I don't fancy getting up for more." Harry took the glass from her as she smirked at him.</p><p> </p><p>“You <em>are</em> a wizard, Harry, I’m sure something would have occurred to you.”</p><p> </p><p>Harry finished the water and then smiled at her. “Nah, still too much effort. I’m all fagged out from the wonderful shagging, wife of mine.”</p><p> </p><p>Ginny rolled her eyes, reminding him of Al suddenly. Funny how he’d never noticed that particular habit they shared before. He moved closer to her and wrapped her into his arms. "Let's sleep now. Yeah?"</p><p> </p><p>Ginny nodded, and they settled down into the bed, Harry pulling the sheets and blankets up around them. Ginny yawned and touched his face tenderly. “Goodnight, love.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm,” Harry murmured, moving his mouth against the top of her hair. The pure flowery scent of her hit him squarely in the chest, and he smiled, remembering a particular potion from a very long time ago. Harry knew now, of course, that it had always been Ginny he’d smelled… and that it had always been love.</p><p> </p><p>o-o-o-o-o</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Life is for the Living</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A short one shot that hit me upside the head late last night. Every H/G writer has to write this scene, I think. Harry and Ginny and their “Get back together” moment. Just a bit of fluff, sir, that’s all it is.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Life is for the Living:</p><p>
  <em>After the Battle of Hogwarts</em>
</p><p>After sleeping around 17 hours or so, and then putting as much food into his body as it would take, Harry began to notice things. Or at least, the absence of things. People did not speak loudly – they murmured, whispered, or merely nodded their heads at each other. Even Ron and Hermione, who had not left each other's side, even while sleeping, were not immune to this new silence. Harry thought he liked it at first, but when Neville accidentally dropped a knife, and the clatter made everyone gasp and stare, he decided that he didn't.</p><p>He wanted people to make noise – yell, scream, cry, even laugh, maybe, if the mood hit. Maybe if Fred and George – but no, Harry stopped himself. There was no longer a Fred and George, and he thought that there might not even be a George for a long time. No doubt, the other twin was lost in a special kind of grief of his own.</p><p>Harry decided to take a walk, leaving Ron and Hermione to each other and their shared silences. He trudged outside of the castle, just as the sun was starting to set. The light cast an eerie sort of peaceful glow on the charred and damaged Hogwarts. But Harry knew with complete and utter certainty that the castle would bounce back – just like the people he loved would eventually start to make noise once more and life would begin again.</p><p>That was one of the most ridiculously cruel and yet amazingly brilliant things about life: it went on.</p><p>Before he knew it, he had trekked around the far edge of the lake - as far away from his old life's shambling remains as he could possibly get. Harry suddenly threw himself down on the ground. He needed to feel the cool softness of the grass and earth beneath his fingers. Something real, something that was tangible and natural. Harry didn't know how long he sat there, but it was almost dark before he knew it. He used his wand to send a flare of light upwards into the night, and it cast a warm glow around him.</p><p>That was when he saw her. He saw her hair first, then the white glow of her skin, even as freckled as it was, he would know it anywhere, and then he saw her eyes, blazing as they always did when she looked at him.</p><p>Ginny approached him slowly, but with determination, and he waited. He stood up when she reached him and absentmindedly wiped his hands on his jeans, not wanting to touch her with the dirt he'd been mucking about in. They didn't speak, but merely gazed at each other, and Harry knew she understood without being told. She stepped forward slowly until she was almost touching him, a hair's breadth away. Harry was shocked to realize how much he'd grown because she seemed farther away than the last time he had looked at her like this. His arms suddenly ached to pull her to him – to touch the softness of her skin, and to feel the absolute perfect warmth of her.</p><p>His hand twitched of its own accord. Ginny noticed, and a slight smirk graced her face as she glanced down.</p><p>Harry suddenly felt sheepish and felt his shoulders shrug in response, but Ginny was having none of it. She moved that last final inch and stretched up, her hand moving to his hair. Her brown eyes looked warm and inviting and fierce, all at the same time, and he knew he would spend the rest of his days falling into them quite happily.</p><p>"You've grown," she murmured, her voice sounding hoarse.</p><p>Harry nodded, suddenly unable to speak. It seemed the silence had found him as well.</p><p>"And you need a haircut," she continued, a sudden mischief alighting in her eyes.</p><p>Harry felt himself smile and nodded again.</p><p>"You look a right mess, Harry," she said, definitely chiding him.</p><p>He felt the grin grow on his face.</p><p>"You're not going to speak at all, is that it?" Ginny stretched again and rested her arms around his shoulders. "My, my, a silent Harry Potter. What will the Prophet say about that?" Ginny's smirk grew wider, and she adopted an official-sounding voice. "Miss Weasley, how did you reconnect with the love of your life once he came back from the war? "Oh, you know, he stood mute while I threw myself at him. I'm sure it's the same old story from time immortal – boy leaves girl, saves the world, comes back to the girl completely knackered and struck dumb by her incandescent beauty." Ginny finished with a dramatic sigh and a roll of her eyes.</p><p>Harry snickered, and with that small noise, he realized his voice was finally back again. "Incandescent?"</p><p>Ginny blushed slightly but nodded. "I <em>am</em> incandescent. Let's get that straight, right now. You have never seen a beauty such as me, and it was that same beauty that kept driving you to fight, motivating you to let nothing sto…"</p><p>Harry stopped her with a kiss, and he was holding her tightly in his arms. She was melting against him, and he knew nothing but the feel of her lips and the press of her body against his. For the first time in his life, he let that thought linger and go forward until his mind pushed it to its natural conclusion. He gasped when they finally broke apart, and Ginny glanced in between them, a wicked look on her face.</p><p>She raised her eyebrow but didn't say anything. Harry rested his head on hers to hide his embarrassment. They stood there for a long time until the moment and his passion, had calmed. But the pounding of his heart still seemed loud to him. The monster in his chest, unfed for so long, had apparently sprung back into life when he'd kissed her.</p><p>Ginny touched his cheek and shook her head at him.</p><p>"Didn't meet a Veela you liked better, eh?"</p><p>Harry grinned, remembering what she had said on his birthday. "Nope."</p><p>"I suppose this means we're together again then?" Ginny asked. She said it playfully, but her eyes searched his for the briefest moment, as though some part of her was unsure.</p><p>Harry grew serious and pulled her close again. "We were never apart. Not really. Incandescent beauty or not, knowing you were here fighting against them kept me going, Gin. You have no idea."</p><p>"Oh, I think I have some idea. It's what kept me going too, Harry."</p><p>They kissed again, and this time it was Ginny that pulled away, gasping, and Harry felt a proud smile fill his face at that. She shook her head as she caught her breath, her hand on his chest. He suddenly didn't want to go back inside and be surrounded by so much…<em>silence</em>. Being with Ginny was the first taste of life he'd actually experienced in ages. He wanted to make it last.</p><p>"The castle is too bloody quiet. Do you think anyone would miss us if we just stayed out here all night?" Harry asked, watching her.</p><p>"On the damp grass and in the cold Scottish night air? No, I'm sure no one will even think to look for us. Because we'd have to be daft to be out here, right?"</p><p>Harry grinned widely and pulled her down to the ground with him and cast a few warming and cushioning spells around them as Ginny settled into his arms. She smirked at him.</p><p>"That's that then."</p><p>Harry nodded. "Reckon so."</p><p>They started to touch each other and laugh and sigh and giggle as if they had never been apart. Harry felt a lightness growing inside of him that he didn't want to ever let go. He told her of the long experience of hunting Horcruxes, and she told him about fighting the Carrows at the school and protecting the Muggleborns. He then told her about meeting Dumbledore at King's Cross, and she did not think he was crazy. They talked about Fred and Remus and Tonks and everyone else they had lost. After Harry had told her everything he could think of for the moment, she touched him, her eyes full of understanding and something he couldn't recognize.</p><p>"Thank you," she murmured.</p><p>"For what?" Harry asked, feeling surprised, and then a slight annoyance. He had never expected Ginny to take <em>that</em> route. "And if you say "saving the world," I'm going to dump you onto this damp grass, right now."</p><p>"No," Ginny said, sounding fierce suddenly. "Thank you for coming back. I think Dumbledore was right, you could have gone on and finally rested, but you didn't. You chose life. You chose to stay with us. Because that's what you do, Harry."</p><p>"Oh," Harry said, feeling stupid. He suddenly glanced at her, feeling mischievous. "Well, to be honest, I just didn't want to die a virgin."</p><p>Ginny pulled her head back as though shocked, her mouth falling open. She narrowed her eyes at him. "You just didn't."</p><p>Harry could feel the smile twitching on his face as he looked at her. "I may have just."</p><p>"Honestly, <em>boys</em>," Ginny said, shaking her head. Suddenly he saw a look on her face that he knew well and felt anticipation. "Well, I reckon we'd better never have sex then."</p><p>Harry frowned. That had not been what he'd been expecting. "How do you figure?"</p><p>"I can't have you finally getting a leg over and then have you decide to off yourself the next time some evil wizard calls you out. I need you to always be in fighting shape, Harry."</p><p>Harry laughed, the sound loud in the night, and they both winced, looking around them, identical smiles on their faces. Ginny's face grew serious after a moment.</p><p>"I need you to always come back to me," she said, her voice soft.</p><p>Harry took her hand into his and kissed her fingertips and gazed at her. "I always will."</p><p>"Right. That's settled then. You know, mum will be so pleased. She told me you wouldn't want to shag for a least six months or more, and I shouldn't push you. I'll tell her she was wrong."</p><p>Harry snorted in disbelief. "You and your mum did not talk about me wanting to…do that."</p><p>"Oh, ho, ho," Ginny said, sounding amused. "You have no idea what a mother and daughter talk about."</p><p>Harry gulped as he looked at her, not liking the amused expression on her face. "Well, er, six months or more, really? Does she not think a bloke has needs?"</p><p>Ginny laughed and put her head on his shoulder. "Oh, she knows they have needs. But you're special, Harry, dear." Ginny did a spot-on impression of her mother, and Harry couldn't help but smile.</p><p>"I don't think I'll take all that long to get there," Harry said, after really thinking about it. Ginny snorted and looked at him.</p><p>"Uh, you might want to rephrase that, Harry. Not what a girl wants to hear."</p><p>Harry frowned, not understanding her at first, and then stuck his tongue out at her. "Oh, haha. I think, if anything, this entire year has proven I can keep going and going, Ginny."</p><p>He was pleased by the pink tint to her cheeks and felt smug. <em>Two</em> could play at her game.</p><p>"What if I want to wait until we're married?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide. Suddenly Harry felt horrible for being presumptuous.</p><p>"Er, well, I mean, I was just joking. I mean, you know, we don't, if you want to wait, then, I mean, that's okay, really. I mean the actual idea of it scares me out of my socks, actually, but er, um, oh for…you're having me on. Git." Harry sighed and tried to ruffle his hands through her hair as she pulled out of his grasp, laughing.</p><p>She looked beautiful in the dawning light – they had spent all night talking, and Harry hadn't even noticed. He didn't feel the least bit tired, either. Harry pulled her to him and kissed her, letting his hands wander into new and no-longer-off-limits-territory. He sighed happily when he eventually felt Ginny shudder against him.</p><p>"You're a big faker, you know," Harry said, smiling at her. "You want it, too."</p><p>"Yes, but not outside on the ground, two days after the climactic battle has been won," Ginny said coyly.</p><p>She grabbed his hand and pulled him up. "Come on, let's see if the house elves can get us some breakfast. And then we're going to march into that Great Hall, and we're going to be loud and boisterous and downright rude to everyone else until they start talking in normal tones. Remind everyone that life is <em>loud</em>. Sound like a deal?"</p><p>Harry nodded and laughed as he followed her back around the lake. Life went on. And Harry was more than ready to finally join it</p><p>o-o-o-o-o</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Christmas Wish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Just a little PWP, in time for Christmas :)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Come <em>on</em>,” he whispered again. </p><p>To Ginny, Harry’s voice carried far too loudly for her liking. She shushed him and wished she’d remembered to grab her wand. She roughly pulled on Harry’s arm as he moved down the stairs, barely catching him before he stepped on the creaky, half-broken step that never seemed to get fixed no matter who tried to take care of it (and Ginny remembered her brother Bill <em>really</em> trying one year). Everyone in the whole house would hear it if either of them stepped on it. Harry gave her a sheepish grin and then stretched his legs to move over the offending part of the stair, and Ginny followed suit.</p><p>She couldn’t believe she had allowed him to talk her into this. </p><p>But he'd gazed at her then - green eyes wide and full of mischief and desire, and yeah, they were also full of promise. Ginny knew that was her downfall. Whenever her husband looked at her like that<em>, </em>good things were bound to happen. <em>Especially</em> when he looked at her like that.</p><p>They made it down to the sitting room, and there was nothing but the soft, hushed sounds of the night around them - the slow drip from the kitchen sink, the half-whispered tick of the clock in the kitchen, and the occasional crackling, yet gentle pop of the fire still burning in the hearth. The tree was still lit and Ginny took a minute to appreciate it before Harry pulled her into the room proper and kissed her.</p><p>After several moments, Ginny pulled back and smirked at him. "You're feeling proud of yourself for this, aren't you?"</p><p>“Maybe,” Harry chuckled.  He let his hand get lost in her hair as he worked a hand tenderly around her neck. “Maybe I’m just really excited by the way you look in the firelight.”</p><p>“I can’t believe you used a Christmas wish for this,” Ginny mumbled as Harry pulled them both down to the floor.</p><p>"Why not? We haven't had much time together lately, and you know the kids will be up at the crack of dawn to open presents. I doubt we’ll get much together-time until school starts back up again.”</p><p>“But, it’s the floor of the sitting room, Harry,” Ginny protested, looking around.</p><p>She’d grown up in this house and had spent many a Christmas Eve looking at the tree lights winking at her while wishing her various youthful dreams and wants. Ginny had to admit that most of those had been concerned with the man who was now gazing at her with a more than devious glint in his eye.</p><p>“Where’s your sense of adventure, Gin?”</p><p>Ginny pretended to pout. “In the biscuits I got up early to bake this morning while you enjoyed a restful lie-in.”</p><p>Harry tsked and then kissed her again, and before Ginny knew it, he had her flat on her back in no time. She took in a deep breath of air as he winked down at her. All thoughts of continuing to complain (and Ginny realized she’d been doing it only half-heartedly anyway), were swept out of her head as Harry started moving his hands underneath her dressing gown. She could tell he was very determined.</p><p>“Is this some sort of strange, new kink you’ve developed, husband?” Ginny asked, unashamed to notice the already breathless sound of her voice.</p><p>Harry brought his head back up to look at her again. “No, I just really wanted to try this. To see if we still had it in us.”</p><p>“Had what, exactly?”</p><p>Harry sighed and stopped his hand movements. “You know, getting away with things.” He flashed a cheeky grin at her. “I think it’s been too long since we…lost all rational thought together.”</p><p>Ginny merely raised her eyebrow at him as she started her own version of wandering hands and smirked when he bit his lip as her left hand found something rather keen indeed. She stretched upwards and captured his lips, putting her own desire into it this time. She was extremely pleased to see Harry’s eyes fully dilate and turn a darker shade of green.</p><p>“We have to be quiet,” she murmured. “I don’t fancy Mum and Dad watching you receive <em>this</em> present.”</p><p>“I can cast a-”</p><p>“No. Any witch or wizard can do that,” Ginny interrupted. “Let’s see how quiet we can be. I know it’ll be quite the challenge for one of us.”</p><p>Harry quirked his lips at her, and they went back to kissing each other. Harry joined her on the floor, and Ginny turned her body towards his, their legs tangling together. Harry's hand lowered to cup her bum, and he shifted closer to her. Ginny started kissing his neck as he pushed her forward, and she suddenly felt a sharp and brittle stabbing sensation at the back of her head.</p><p>“Ow,” Ginny hissed, and Harry blinked at her, his glasses slightly fogged up by their kissing. He chuckled as he looked over the rims of his glasses.</p><p>“Sorry,” he murmured, and he untangled the offending tree branch from her hair. "We are rather close to the tree down here. Should we roll more this way?"</p><p>Ginny nodded, and Harry pulled her towards him. Ginny shifted and then found herself on top of him. She smiled down at her husband.</p><p>“I think you planned this.”</p><p>"Now, why would I do that?" Harry asked innocently, his hands sneaking under her dressing gown again. He made an approving growl sort of sound when he realized she was completely naked under it.</p><p>“You just like me on top, you lazy sod.”</p><p>“Well, not only. Not just. But you are less likely to get beheaded by a wayward tree branch this way, you have to admit.”</p><p>Ginny laughed and then snapped her mouth closed as they both paused, listening to the house. When no other sounds of life in the Burrow were heard, they both released a long sigh. Harry reached up and cupped her face.</p><p>“Come on, love, let me see you in the light of the tree. God, your hair…it’s like fire,” Harry said softly, his eyes lifting upwards as though to take the image in.</p><p>Ginny grinned and removed her dressing gown and then pushed Harry's off of his shoulders. She let one hand wander slowly down his chest, moving ever downward until she reached the soft hair past his bellybutton, tickling him slightly. They gazed at each other as they touched each other – Harry’s eyes roaming over her body with voracity – as though he hadn’t seen her naked before.  As always, he didn’t need to tell her how much he appreciated the view. She could see it in his face. He teased her nipples with his thumbs as he cupped her breasts and licked his lips, meeting her eyes.</p><p>Ginny arched her back and let her hair fall down over her shoulders as she pushed forward into his hands. She loved the way he loved her – all these years later, and it was almost like the first time. Harry treated her with reverence, and she never tired of it. He still knew exactly how to make her want him and nothing else. And she always wanted him – he was beautiful – her Harry – he always had been to her. Ginny let her eyes travel over him.  She loved the way the lights of the fire and Christmas tree were reflected back at her from his glasses.</p><p>“Yes,” he mumbled now, watching her. Ginny shifted her hips against him with only the light fabric of the boxers he’d worn to bed between them. He was quite at the ready, she could tell. Her hand took hold of him, and he hummed softly in response. She raised an eyebrow at him. It had taken many, many years of her trying her best to show Harry that it was okay to be vocal during sex. She cherished every sound of pleasure that she could drag out of him if the truth was known.</p><p>Ginny lowered her mouth to his body, kissing her way down – following the wake of her hand. When she reached his hardness, she licked her lips and put her mouth around the tip of him – the fabric of the boxers soon becoming wet. Harry swore and pushed his hips up so that more of him slid into her mouth. His hands held her hair, and Ginny gave herself over to what she was doing.</p><p>Slowly down and then back up, Ginny moved her hand between the little flap of his boxers and touched him. She worked him slow and steady, the way she knew he liked it. But still, she only let her tongue touch the outside – the boxers were now straining and sticking to his body like a second skin. He murmured something as he touched her hair lovingly, and when she finally allowed her mouth to feel his skin, he practically bucked underneath her.</p><p>His body was warm – almost hot – to the touch as Ginny used her other hand to cup him, pushing his legs apart. She adored making love to him with her mouth – the taste of him – the way he became so excited – it was exhilarating to her. Harry was murmuring her name and tugging on her hair gently so that she finally removed her mouth, feeling pleased with herself.</p><p>Harry's face was flushed, and his eyes were wide with longing. She nodded at him, and he sat up, capturing her mouth in a heated kiss as his fingers teased her. She smirked into the kiss as he probed gently at her sex, slow little movements forward until he was sliding his fingers in between her folds. He sighed as her warmth and wetness met his touch. Ginny had to admit, loving Harry with her mouth made her so <em>very</em> excited. And he knew it. Still, he was quite ace with his finger work too, she thought, as she bit his shoulder playfully. He continued to tease her, moving his fingers faster and then slower, drawing almost lazy circles around her center.</p><p>“You always make it so easy on me,” Harry whispered now, chuckling in her ear. “You’re already soaking wet, Mrs Potter.”</p><p>“What are wives for?”</p><p>“Lots of things,” Harry said roughly, wrapping an arm around her. Ginny quickly helped him remove his boxers, and almost without even moving, they joined. Harry’s body slid gracefully into hers in a practiced move she never got tired of. They both sighed as their bodies became one, and Ginny rested her head against Harry’s, watching his eyes. He moved a hand down her back and cupped her bum again, and they started to move. Ginny felt her heart begin to beat faster as she shifted forward. Harry kept his finger on her even as he moved within her. She rested her hands on his shoulders and kissed him.</p><p>“Faster,” she murmured. Harry tsked at her.</p><p>“In a hurry?”</p><p>“I don’t want anyone to walk in on us,” Ginny admitted, smiling.</p><p>“Too much rational thought. Clearly, I’m not doing my job here," Harry said.</p><p>Before she could stop him, he was pushing her down onto the floor again, settling in between her legs. He shifted his hips, and Ginny let whatever she'd been about to tease him remain unsaid. God, she loved it when he just…<em>took her</em>. She arched as Harry pushed in, holding himself up on his arms above her. She couldn’t help the groan that left her mouth as he hit a rather delicious spot deep within her. Harry grinned down at her, and he did it again and again, a look of smugness on his face. They’d been married long enough for him to know that when he moved inside of her in <em>that</em> way, she was absolutely gone. She gave him a blazing look and shifted her body up to meet his, the sound of it repeatedly filling the small room. But they both groaned out loud this time, and suddenly Ginny felt her heart practically stop in her chest.</p><p><em>CREAK</em>.</p><p>The step. The step on the stairs. <em>Someone was on the bloody stairs</em>!</p><p>Harry's eyes met hers, and he froze his movements. Ginny would have laughed if she wasn't feeling a million other emotions racing through her. They were about to get caught by either a child or a family member or, worse, a <em>parent</em>. One of <em>her</em>parents to be exact. Both she and Harry turned their heads towards the open entryway, and Ginny realized they were both holding their breaths. Amazingly enough, though, she could still feel Harry pulsing inside of her, and she tightened around him in response.</p><p>But nothing, or, Ginny thought, <em>no one</em>, appeared.  It was only a moment later before they heard another creak, this time from up above them. Harry looked at her, disbelief and humor warring on his face until finally, he snickered. Ginny released the breath she'd been holding and shook her head. No one was on the stair – it was just the sound of the house settling and those odd noises it sometimes made when everything seemed quiet. Harry began thrusting again with renewed vigor, and Ginny reached for his hand, their fingers linking.</p><p>“You might have a point about speeding things up,” he breathed out, moving his hips in closer, and Ginny nodded, arching back as they found their rhythm again.</p><p>Ginny bit her lip to keep from moaning as Harry lowered a hand to her body, teasing her center with almost casual flicks of his thumb, moving in time to his thrusts. She shifted her legs up to give him more room, and he gazed down at her, lust and love mixed into his expression. She moved her hands to cup her breasts, teasing herself, and Harry swore softly, watching her.</p><p>Ginny felt her climax slowly begin, the heat and warm flush of it burning through her. She murmured and moved her body up to meet Harry’s and he stroked that spot inside of her again that made her see stars. She was suddenly there on the edge of release – stumbling and then breaking apart inside as the wave of pleasure crashed into her. Harry was saying her name over and over again in a harsh whisper, and she contracted around him, pulling him in deeper. He cried out- half-strangled with trying to be quiet – her name falling from his mouth like a desperate prayer.</p><p>Harry lowered himself down after a few more thrusts, which Ginny appreciated, her body still reeling in the aftershocks. She murmured to him and wrapped her arm around his now quite sweaty, body. Harry rested his head on her shoulders, messy hair standing straight up and his glasses gone askew, half-hanging off his face. Ginny smiled tenderly at him and fixed them for him, kissing his forehead.</p><p>Harry gave her a crooked smile and then touched her face, his eyes filling with awe. “Gin, you’re so beautiful in this light.”</p><p>Ginny chuckled as they moved and sat up. “Just in <em>this</em> light, Harry?”</p><p>“Well, all light, really, but the fire and the fairy lights…they really bring out the fiery aspects in your hair. They always have.”</p><p>She kissed him, and then they both stood. Harry handed Ginny her dressing gown as he slid his boxers back up and grabbed his own. They paused for a moment and looked at the tree together, Harry’s arms curling around her waist. He sighed, sounding content.</p><p>“Thanks for indulging my Christmas wish,” he said, his breath warm against her skin. She turned her head and reached up, bringing his lips down to hers.</p><p>“You know I can’t deny you anything,” she replied. And she meant it.</p><p>“Oh, sure, now you tell me,” Harry teased. But he kissed her gently and nuzzled her with his nose in understanding.</p><p>They made their way back upstairs (taking care to not hit the creaky step, of course, it wouldn’t do to get caught <em>now</em>) and tiptoed past their daughter, Lily, who was sleeping on the little make-shift bed they’d made for her earlier. Harry stopped and kissed their daughter, removing the thumb that was stuck in her mouth. He took off his glasses, and Ginny grabbed the nightgown she hadn't bothered with before, slipping it over her shoulder. They tried to get back into their bed as quietly as possible, and then they both looked at each other, mirrored grins on their faces.</p><p>“I can’t believe we just shagged in my childhood home under the Christmas tree,” Ginny said softly, her eyes checking to make sure Lily was still asleep.</p><p>“Well,” Harry said, equally as soft, turning to face her. “It was really more Christmas tree adjacent than anything.”</p><p>“I can’t believe no one caught us,” Ginny continued, marveling. “Merlin, when we heard that creak!”</p><p>Harry and Ginny looked at each other and then both started laughing, trying to remain quiet, but failing. Harry smirked at her after they got control of themselves.</p><p>“I was half-torn between finishing and throwing myself over your body to protect you from prying eyes.”</p><p>Ginny snickered. “My hero.”</p><p>They kissed again and then settled down into the bed. Ginny sighed as Harry curled around her, his hands coming to rest on her hips as they formed the perfect set of spoons. She was just drifting back off to sleep when an idea occurred to her. She turned to face him, touching his chest.</p><p>“Harry?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Do you think you could get access to the Quidditch Pitch at the school?”</p><p>Harry yawned and then blinked at her rather sleepily. “What? Why?”</p><p>“I think I know what I want for <em>my</em> Christmas wish this year.”</p><p>“Really? The pitch? Won’t we be cold?”</p><p>“It won’t be that bad in the air if we cast a few warming charms.”</p><p>Harry nodded and then closed his eyes again. Ginny smiled and then waited. A moment later, Harry was staring at her. “Wait, did you say <em>in the air</em>?”</p><p>Ginny giggled and turned back around, closing her eyes.</p><p>They could figure out the logistics later.</p><p>o-o-o-o-o</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. New Years</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Just a little pwp one-shot for New Years, as follow up to my Christmas wish story. ;)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Author's Note - Just in time! Almost missed it. Dedicated to Deadwoodpecker and Bumlewis who always keep me moving forward. The best two smut pals a gal could have. ;)</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>New Years:</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"Ginny, this is <em>nuts</em>." Harry's voice got half-lost on the icy wind that rippled between them. She decided to ignore him and continue their trek down towards the Quidditch Pitch. He had received <em>his</em> Christmas wish, and this was hers, damn it, and they were going to be successful at it. Even if they later caught the hypothermia to prove it and had to drink an <em>entire</em> bottle of Pepper-Up.</p><p>Of course, New Year's Eve had decided to be the coldest night of the year, with fresh flurries of snow coming their way very shortly. Ginny could taste and smell it on the air – a crisp iciness that she breathed in with every step. At least the wind kept Harry's whinging to a minimum. Thank goodness for small favors.</p><p>They rested under the looming shadow of one of the nearest set of stands, and Harry gave her a look – half-exasperated and half-miserable. Ginny clucked her tongue at her husband and cast a quick Impervious on his glasses. Head Auror, and he <em>still</em> forgot that bloody charm.</p><p>"Can we go inside at least and have hot and steamy changing room sex?" Harry asked, blinking owlishly back at her. Ginny felt her grumpiness loosen a bit as she realized her husband's lips were turning blue.</p><p>"But I wanted kinky, in the air-sex," Ginny purred, moving closer to him, hoping her body heat would help de-thaw Harry in more ways than one. Harry's arms automatically wrapped around her waist, but he still looked determined to change her mind.</p><p>"Gin. Love, and light of my life, mother of my children and all-around partner in crime, it is bloody zero degrees out, and the wind is hellacious. Please, if you don't want to spend the new year nursing me back from the edge of death, let's get our arses inside and improvise, for Merlin's sake."</p><p>Ginny sighed as another gust of wind pushed ruthlessly at them. Perhaps Harry had a point – it was insanely cold out, almost as though the weather had known what was in her mind this morning as she'd awoken. Her family had agreed to watch over the kids so that she and Harry could have some 'alone' time, which didn't happen all that often. Mostly because Harry and Ginny forgot to simply ask for it. But her mother had smiled and said she'd be more than happy to assume her role as grandmother for the evening.</p><p>Harry must have sensed her wavering because he flashed a quick smile at her and tugged on her hand. "Come on, you. You can't tell me you don't have some old 'catch Harry changing' fantasies from when you were a teenager."</p><p>Ginny's denial and subsequent sputtering of outrage were drowned out as Harry started making his way towards the changing rooms. The wind gave a terrific howl, and Ginny looked back at the pitch, feeling her Christmas wish dying in the cold blackness behind her. <em>Oh well</em>, Ginny thought. <em>He'll just have to make it up to me now. </em></p><p>After Harry did something with his wand to the locks, they finally made it inside, and the door blew shut behind them. The silence was suddenly deafening after being outside, and they looked at each other, shared expressions on their faces.</p><p>Harry started casting warming charms over them, and Ginny felt her feet begin to warm up. She sighed inwardly. Thanks to the weather, she now wouldn't be getting to try gravity-free sex tonight. <em>And</em> she hadn't been allowed to wear the new skimpy negligee Hermione had given her for Christmas. Harry didn't even know it existed yet. But one look out the window before they'd left, and Ginny knew she'd be wrapped in layers. <em>Bugger it all, anyway</em>.</p><p>Harry chuckled at her and unwrapped one of the three scarves he'd placed around his neck. He shook his head at her. "Sorry, love. Reckon the weather just doesn't want us to get lucky tonight."</p><p>"Well," Ginny said, watching him. "I suppose we'll have to wait out the storm for a bit before heading back home."</p><p>Harry raised his eyebrow at her and chuckled again, the sound of it doing something to her insides. He pulled her to him and kissed her, moving his hands to her hair.</p><p>"Well, you already seem more agreeable," Harry murmured, nuzzling her neck. His lips were a bit chapped and still cold, but Ginny couldn't help but shudder as he kissed a pattern down from her ears to the hollow of her throat.</p><p>"<em>Har</em> -ry."</p><p>"<em>Gin</em>-ny."</p><p>Ginny laughed and pulled away. "I had a whole thing planned. Aren't you even a tiny bit disappointed?"</p><p>Harry ran his hand through his hair, messing it up in the back – a habit Ginny had no intention of ever drawing his attention to because it was so bloody adorable that she never wanted him to stop – not even when they were in their 90s.</p><p>"Well, to be fair, I didn't know how we were going to pull it off. The flying during the…you know, bit."</p><p>"The shagging our brains out bit?" Ginny said cheekily, and she liked the slight pink tint that appeared on Harry's cheeks. Honestly, he blushed at the strangest things sometimes, even after almost ten years of marriage.</p><p>"Yeah, that," Harry deadpanned. He shook his head at her. "I know you used to be a professional player and all, but some of us only have our natural-born talent to fall back on."</p><p>Ginny snorted and reached into the bag she'd been carrying and showed Harry exactly how they would have pulled off the 'you know' bit.</p><p>"Is that? But where? How?" Harry asked as she unfurled the blue carpet she'd secured them. The magic<em> flying</em> blue carpet.</p><p>"It pays to have friends in high places," Ginny said, smirking.</p><p>Harry reached out to touch the carpet and gave her an unreadable look. "You are aware, are you not, Mrs Potter that I am Head Auror?"</p><p>Ginny shrugged as she tapped the carpet with her wand, and it floated away from them as it leveled out.</p><p>"What's your point, Mr Potter?"</p><p>"I could arrest you for having one in your possession. And also arrest whoever got it for you. Was it George?"</p><p>Ginny scoffed. "No, I <em>said</em> high-places, Harry. And you wouldn't arrest your wife." Ginny paused and looked at him. "I mean, you wouldn't, right?"</p><p>Harry's face had grown entirely too somber for her liking. He moved closer to her until he had her pinned against one of the lockers, and a slow smirk filled his face. "Wouldn't I?"</p><p>Ginny bit her lip and breathed in her husband's always arousing scent – something woodsy and outdoors and clean and sweet all at the same time. She decided to play along. "Not if you want to ever have sex with her again."</p><p>"I could ask for conjugal visits to be allowed at Azkaban," Harry said, green eyes sparkling at hers. "My job does have its perks."</p><p>Ginny scoffed. "I still wouldn't even do it then."</p><p>"I don't know, 12 years in prison might make you a little…<em>needy</em>," Harry said, his voice dropping an octave. Ginny felt her skin flush in response and wanted to wipe the smug smile off his face. He knew what he was doing to her. Knowing each other for so long was great – but it also meant they knew how to press each other's buttons. And "<em>Auror Harry</em>" was one of Ginny's most insistent buttons indeed, and damn if her husband didn't play that bloody card every time he could.</p><p>But Ginny had a few wifely tricks up her sleeve as well.</p><p>"Would you accept favors in place of…being arrested?" Ginny now asked, raising her eyebrow. "I mean, I know you like to be thought of as above such things, but…I've been told by a reliable source that my talent in this…area…is quite…proficient." Ginny let her tongue run slowly over her lips as she gazed into Harry's eyes.</p><p>"Oh? And what talent is that, Mrs Potter? I don't believe there's anything in your file about it."</p><p>Harry then gave her a lazy smile and placed both of his hands on either side of her, essentially locking her into place in front of him. Ginny reached up and removed the hair pull she tied her hair in before they'd left and shook her head so that it fell around her shoulders. She didn't miss the way Harry's eyes watched her. <em>Button number one – my hair.</em></p><p>"I have a file?" Ginny asked. She tried to make her voice sound extra innocent and breathy.</p><p>"Of course. All people of note have files," Harry said, his eyes lingering on her lips. Ginny could tell he was getting into their little drama and realized it had been a while since they'd played it.</p><p>"But I'm just an innocent woman, Auror Potter," Ginny murmured, trying to get her voice to just the right amount of bewilderment. "Why would you have a file on me?"</p><p>Harry gave her such a stern look that it already had certain areas of her anatomy humming. He let his eyes travel down and then back up again. "Innocent women don't have flying carpets, Mrs Potter."</p><p>"But it was a present for my husband," Ginny said softly, biting her lip. Harry's eyes immediately strayed to them, and when he looked back up at her, she could see they were fully dilated.</p><p>"Oh? How so? And what makes you want to risk imprisonment for him? I've heard he's a bit of a git, actually."</p><p>Ginny tsked and leaned forward so that there was barely any space between them at all. "He's a good man, my husband. You know, one of those hero-types. But that doesn't mean he doesn't like…to get…<em>dirty</em>. Or break the law, now and then. In fact, he thrives on that last bit, you might say."</p><p>"Does he now?" Harry said, his voice sounding only slightly choked. "And he approves of you employing this talent of yours to get you out of tight spaces?"</p><p>Ginny nodded and gave him a little smile. "He…well, I'm not sure you'll like this word…" Ginny let her voice run off and raised an eyebrow at him. Harry licked his lips in response.</p><p>"Yeah? What word is that?" Harry said, his voice sounding gruff.</p><p>"Oh, I shouldn't say," Ginny said, teasing him. She let her hand stray in between them, lightly resting on his abdomen. She was glad being an Auror made Harry keep himself in shape. "You might start to think I'm not as innocent as I claim to be."</p><p>Harry smirked at her. "Yeah? Try me."</p><p><em>Okay, here goes button number two</em>. "He…" Ginny paused and moved her mouth to Harry's ear. "He <em>fucking</em> loves it. He <em>fucking</em> loves everything I do. Even me saying the word <em>fuck</em> can get him off."</p><p>Harry groaned and bowed his head. A moment later, his voice came out somewhat raspy, Ginny thought, and she hid a smile.</p><p>"I don't believe that. Although you do say it with an exquisite forcefulness."</p><p>"The first time we ever did it, I swore, and he came on the spot, practically," Ginny whispered as she moved her hand up to his hair, letting her fingers get lost in it. "I don't normally swear, you see, and it…sort of drives him crazy. To hear his sweet, loving woman say such a dirty word? It's one of his…<em>buttons</em>."</p><p>"Mshhuk," Harry muttered, and suddenly he was scorching her mouth with his own, and Ginny didn't even feel it as he pushed her hard into the locker behind her. When they came back up for air many, many, moments later, Ginny fixed him with a smug look.</p><p>"Now, do you want me to use this fucking talent on you or what, Auror Potter?"</p><p>Harry grinned at her, and it was feral and entirely masculine. "Fuck, yes, Mrs Potter, before I self-combust."</p><p>Ginny grinned and then slid down the locker until she was on her knees in front of him. With years of practice, she deftly wove her hand into his trousers, already seeing he was more than ready for her. She cupped him through his pants and flashed a heated gaze up to him.</p><p>She slowly lowered her mouth and sucked the head of his erection, briefly coating it so that his pants now stuck to him like skin. Harry watched her, a hungry expression on his face. <em>Now for button number three…</em></p><p>Ginny removed Harry from his clothes, gripping him firmly and he gave a half-whispered moaned in reaction. It turned into a full-throated <em>loud</em> moan as he watched her push her robes apart and work her free hand in between the rim of her jeans. Harry always enjoyed it when she pleasured him <em>and</em> pleasured herself at the same time.</p><p>She threw herself into the task before her – loving Harry this way always turned her on, and she moaned as she tasted him – letting him know how excited it was making her. Harry leaned forward to rest the top of his head against the locker, his hands still on either side of him as he watched her. She sat back and pushed her jeans down so he could see her hand better under her knickers.</p><p>Ginny licked and teased and nibbled at him, all the while moving her hand against her own center. Harry's breathing had increased, and she looked up at him and winked. He shifted his hips forward slightly and began a light thrusting, moving gently for her. Ginny moaned again with him in her mouth, and he swore, jerking forward a bit more hastily. She smiled around him.</p><p>"How wet are you?" he eventually asked, sounding strained. Ginny paused in her ministrations to remove her hand from her knickers. She moved gracefully until she was upright and teased his lips with her fingers.</p><p>"Taste and see," she murmured as Harry slowly pulled one finger into his mouth. His green eyes blazed back at her, thrilling her.</p><p>"God, you taste fucking amazing," Harry said, his voice taking on a rough quality that she knew well.</p><p>"Oh?" Ginny said, cocking an eyebrow at him. "Care to have a bit more?"</p><p>Harry suddenly grabbed her and Ginny squealed in surprise as he threw her over his shoulder briefly. He flung her forward, and she braced herself for an impact that never came as her backside landed on something soft and warm…and <em>floating off the ground</em>. The carpet had somehow glided over to them, and Ginny marveled at it. Harry took a brief second to smirk at her and then pulled her jeans and knickers down and then quickly lost his own. Ginny pulled her shirt off and started rubbing her nipples through her bra. After he was undressed and had removed his glasses, Harry joined her on the carpet. He moved his head down her body, his mouth feeling as though it was burning a hot trail of desire in its wake.</p><p>"Hmm, why Mrs Potter, you have been very excited indeed," Harry mumbled against her thigh, his breath warm. She felt him take in a deep breath as he reveled in her scent, and she moaned out his name as his mouth found her. No slight teasing or gentle fingers tonight, Ginny noticed. Just Harry going for what he wanted. And she had absolutely no problem with that.</p><p>Ginny arched her back and flung her arms out, loving the feel of her hands as they hung off the sides. Half of Harry was hanging off the carpet as they floated, and she remembered what Hermione had told her about how to control it. She twisted slightly and rubbed her thumb and forefinger across the main fringe of the carpet, and it floated even higher off the ground. Harry lifted his head, gasping for air slightly, and scooted forward, squinting up at her.</p><p>"Just wanted a little height," Ginny grunted as he ducked his head back between her legs. She gave herself over to the sensations he was creating and bucked as he finally added a finger to his actions. She opened her legs wider for him and keened as his fingers stroked against the spot inside her that pulsed and hungered for more. Merlin, but she loved being Harry's wife.</p><p>Her release came quickly after that, and she realized she had shifted backward, her head half-hanging off the carpet. Her hair trailed off the side as Harry traveled back up her body, kissing her everywhere, it seemed. He propped himself up above her.</p><p>"Well, we're floating, I'll give you that much," he said, grinning. Ginny reached up and pulled him down to her, her fingers grabbing his head a bit roughly.</p><p>"Fuck me already, Auror Potter," she hissed out, and Harry's eyes widened, and then that brazen look of his was back. She wrapped one of her legs around his waist, pulling him in. One, two, and three seconds later, Harry was sinking into her.</p><p>"Oh, you feel so good," Harry muttered, shifting forward.</p><p>"Likewise," Ginny said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Harry pushed into her, and Ginny moaned. "Yes, oh goodness, yes," she breathed out and met his thrusts with one of her own. She clasped him to her with everything she had, and Harry swore as he started to move a bit faster.</p><p>"As much as I am enjoying this, I have an idea," Harry said a few minutes later, sounding breathless. He pulled back and nodded at her. "Turn over, Gin."</p><p>She smirked and nodded, already knowing what he wanted. She got on all fours and was surprised to see how far off the ground they had risen. Harry kissed his way down her back and then re-entered her, and she forgot everything except the feel of him. He grabbed her hips and pulled her back towards him, and she moaned, the sound of it loud in the small changing room. She sounded throaty and done in, but she knew Harry liked it when she made lots of noise. A few times, he'd been proud to have made her <em>lose</em> her voice completely. His hands reached forward and cupped her breasts, and Ginny was done in by the sensation.</p><p>Back and forth they moved, joining together. Harry's hand playfully smacked her on her bum, and she giggled as she winked at him over her shoulder. He started moving his hips in a particularly wonderful way, and Ginny shuddered in response. She felt herself begin to let go again as he pushed in deeper, and she lurched forward, taking Harry with her. There was a moment where she felt as though they were both falling as the magic carpet rippled underneath them. But it held them, and Harry's head was close to hers as he managed to maintain the position.</p><p>"Merlin, this is…fantastic," Harry breathed out, and Ginny could only nod in agreement.</p><p>Floating added a dimension she'd never considered before. She felt weightless, practically. She leaned back, her arm reaching for his hand, and she moaned out a single word. "Faster."</p><p>Harry must have agreed because he was soon pounding into her, and Ginny felt her body start to let go, lost in pure sensation. She knew he was close and wanted them to climax together.</p><p>"Fuck," Ginny breathed out, turning her head to fix him with a demanding stare. "Come with me, Harry. <em>Now</em>."</p><p>He pulled on her hips a bit roughly and bowed his head, really going for it. Ginny cried out as her body hit that peak, a moment before his did. He came with a half-growl of longing as he emptied himself, buried so deeply that Ginny was quite unsure of where he began and she ended. She contracted around him and he whimpered and then moaned, her name falling from his mouth in a devoted half-whisper. They stayed that way for a few moments, each breathing in big gulps of air. Finally, Harry pulled himself away, and she sank onto the carpet, her arm hanging off the side. He joined her a moment later, his glasses back on. He pushed her hair off of her face, smiling.</p><p>"That was bloody brilliant, wife."</p><p>"I know, I have the most brilliant ideas," Ginny said cheekily. She lifted her head as he cupped her face.</p><p>"You do, I must say. This does beat doing it under a Christmas tree."</p><p>Ginny laughed. "I thought you said it was Christmas tree adjacent."</p><p>"Did I? Hmm," Harry nuzzled her neck, gently kissing the skin there. "Well, that does fit because we're Quidditch Pitch adjacent, this time."</p><p>Ginny merely smiled and used her hand to muss up his hair up even further. "We'll have to come back when it's warmer and give this carpet a test run."</p><p>Harry turned onto his back and then grinned at her. "You're never going to tell me who gave you this, are you? It really was George, wasn't it?"</p><p>"A wife does not tell her secrets."</p><p>Harry snorted. "Okay, okay. Don't tell me."</p><p>Ginny rolled closer to him and lifted her head to stare down at him. "Happy New Year, Harry. Thank you for indulging me."</p><p>"I got some nice things out of it, too, don't worry," Harry chuckled.</p><p>"You know what this means now, though, right?"</p><p>Harry's brow furrowed. "Er, no?"</p><p>"It means we really have to come up with something amazing for Valentine's Day!"</p><p>"You mean, us lying in bed while I recite that poem you wrote in your first year doesn't do it for you, Mrs Potter?"</p><p>Ginny rolled her eyes. "No. And you know it doesn't. In fact, it puts me decidedly <em>off</em>, actually."</p><p>Harry laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "I'll think of something, don't worry, Gin."</p><p>Ginny snuggled into his embrace and started moving her hand across his chest. "Can we do it again before we go back? I mean, I know you're no longer a young man-"</p><p>Harry started tickling her, and Ginny squealed until he finally stopped and stuck his tongue out at her. "The nerve of some women. You know, I might just really arrest you for this carpet after all," he said, piercing her with one of his "steely-eyed-I'm Harry Potter, Head Auror" gazes. "It'll teach you a lesson."</p><p>"I like it when you teach me a lesson," Ginny murmured, kissing him. When they broke apart, Harry's gaze had softened <em>and</em> heated.</p><p>He rolled them over so that she was underneath him again. "Once more, then? Unto the breach and all that?"</p><p>Ginny nodded and then used her legs to flip them so that she was on top this time. "But I get to drive this time, Harry."</p><p>Harry smirked and let his hands travel down her body, resting on her hips. "Be my guest, Mrs Potter."</p><p>And she did, and it was even better the second time if Ginny did say so herself.</p><p>o-o-o-o-o</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My little side project of snippets from Harry and Ginny’s life together. Will not be updated regularly but done as I write them. Each chapter will be a finished project/or one shot, if you will. They will not be linear, but wibbly-wobbly, and timey-wimey.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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